It is true that every time we join a new organisation we’ve got about 6-8 months where we’re looking at our new world with fresh eyes. We have the energy and desire to change things, even if we don’t think we have the agency. After that point, our resistance begins to wane. It becomes easier and easier to accept ‘that’s just the way it is’ and we lose faith in our hunches and decide not to act.
We need to hold our nerve, notice our hunches and take action and ownership. We need to encourage and hold the space for others to do the same.
What is my role as a leader?
Encourage and recognise constructive challenge and questioning status quo
Role model breaking the rules, set ambitious goals
Create energy and new thinking by bringing new stimulus (examples, questions, experiences)
Promote playful disagreement
As a leader you can both challenge the status quo yourself, and inspire others to feel safe to do the same.
By identifying rules to be broken and supporting teams with new stimulus and ideas to re-write them, you will be building a learning culture. By being intentional about challenging commonly held rules and beliefs, you will bring new energy to your team and improve their experience of the organisation.
