Recently I have been assisting a community organisation through a period of extensive change. This has been a fulfilling, though on occasions challenging activity.
Many of those involved have a real vested interest in the status quo. In many cases this stems from a very strong role in building it, so it is understandable that the change is a struggle for them.
Too often we forget that history is more than just old stories for some people. They were part of it, those old stories are about them and people who worked with them in pursuit of the dream that has not only become, but in some cases been the reality.
It is no wonder that often key people in our organisations have a very strong attachment to what has been. It contains many of the memories and embedded beliefs of those who developed it and at the time they may well have been changing the world.
While it is true that in moving through a change we often can not stop, or even really falter for these people, it is worth thinking how best to support them. Often they are an important part of our history.
While we can not always bring them on board and take them with us through the change, we may still be able to honour their part in us having an organisation or opportunity from which to strive for a new reality. Though, in that, it is worth remembering, our current drive for something new, will also one day be yesterday’s initiative. Such is the nature of change.
How would we like to be treated when our current vision is old and no longer of value. It is a worthwhile consideration as we work with those who are currently struggling to grasp a new reality…
Many of those involved have a real vested interest in the status quo. In many cases this stems from a very strong role in building it, so it is understandable that the change is a struggle for them.
Too often we forget that history is more than just old stories for some people. They were part of it, those old stories are about them and people who worked with them in pursuit of the dream that has not only become, but in some cases been the reality.
It is no wonder that often key people in our organisations have a very strong attachment to what has been. It contains many of the memories and embedded beliefs of those who developed it and at the time they may well have been changing the world.
While it is true that in moving through a change we often can not stop, or even really falter for these people, it is worth thinking how best to support them. Often they are an important part of our history.
While we can not always bring them on board and take them with us through the change, we may still be able to honour their part in us having an organisation or opportunity from which to strive for a new reality. Though, in that, it is worth remembering, our current drive for something new, will also one day be yesterday’s initiative. Such is the nature of change.
How would we like to be treated when our current vision is old and no longer of value. It is a worthwhile consideration as we work with those who are currently struggling to grasp a new reality…
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