Creating the Conditions for Excellence

It has been said that great leaders do not 'make change' happen, instead they 'create the conditions' for change to happen. This resonates deeply within me, and perhaps you as well.

We know that it is pointless and nearly impossible to force someone to change their thinking, actions, beliefs, etc. In the final analysis, people change because they want (or need) to change versus through coercion or undue influence by others. Yet, still, we try to pedal our views and jam our advocacy down the throats of others hoping this will do the trick.

Know this: such practice does not work, not in the short-term and definitely not in the long-term.

Something better, and more humane is required to bring about the change we seek. It has been my experience that to succeed in bringing about transformative change, it requires that we not try to coerce others to our way of thinking but instead adopt and leverage the systems-thinking view that suggests systems operate the way they do because we have designed them to perform such way. What this informs is that to succeed with change, to bring about a system-wide transformation what is needed is to address the underlying structure of a system and introduce changes at that level.

It is only at the level of structure that we can plainly see what conditions exist, and are responsible for driving the results we see on the surface of (corporate) life. In approaching change this way, we end up focusing our efforts on those vital- few factors that drive performance. Most companies do not approach business transformation in this manner.

Instead, they apply outdated thinking and approaches that address only surface-level issues. To be effective, in sustaining change for the long haul, we must address change at the level of structure. When you approach your change efforts this way, there is no problem that is beyond your capability in solving.

To summarize, to bring about transformative change that is not only impactful but sustainable requires that we not try to make change happen, but instead focus on creating the conditions for excellence to occur.

Related Reading

• Creating the Conditions for Transformative Change to Occur

• What Great Leaders Do: Create the Conditions for Change

• Slowing Down to Accelerate Problem Solving: A Modern Paradox

See how these ideas come together in practice. Explore the Complexity Leadership Model, our hybrid of diagnostic and dialogic OD.