As an elder, I enjoy the luxury of looking back without worrying about my future job. You might say that my career is, by and large, behind me. I have been quoted to say that "there is no future on getting old." I have been quoted accurately! Some say pessimistic, others say realistic.
I have been taught that there are different ways to learn ... by doing, by experimentation, by abstract conceptualization, and by reflective observation. They all give us slightly different takes on the target situation.
Several years ago, through an paper published by University Associates, I was exposed to a powerful piece on eight pure strategies of change. Pure, in the analytical sense, rather than in implementation. Let me summarize them here:
1. Power-Coersive. This bundle includes the following approaches to change: political, economic, military, and confrontational. Each has its strengths and limitations, each meets a specific need in time, each has its archtypes. These approaches do not describe the position or academic training of the change agent, just his/her approach.
For example, the military strategy is also used by non-military folks, the economic strategy by non-economists, the political strategy by non-politicians. Archtypes associated with this bundle are: brown-noser (political), dictator (military), colonialist (economic), rabble-rouser (confrontation).
2. Rational-Empirical. This bundle includes the following approaches: engineering, academic, fellowship, and behavioral sciences. Again, each has its strengths and limitations, each meets a specific need in time, each has its archtype. These approaches do not describe the position or acedemic training of the change agent.
For example, the engineering strategy is used by non-engineers, the academic strategy by non-academics, fellowship by non-religious persons, and the behavioral sciences by non-behavioral scientists. Archtypes associated with this bundle are: mechanic (engineering), pedantic (academic), missionary (fellowship), and shrink (behavioral sciences).
On a personal level, these strategies manifest themselves in rather comical-tragic ways:
1. The slash-and-burn style. The notion behind this approach is that the best way to go forward is to level everything in sight. Rebuilding is seen as much easier than rennovating. This Ghensis Khan approach to change has some short term benefits. It gets people's attention, but it also generates fear and lack of candor. People are criticized in public, reprimanded for small infractions, ridiculed for their foibles. The dictator is exploitative. He/she leaves behind a lot of wounded folks whose time is spent dressing their wounds and plotting revenge. Many resources are wasted by fixing what might not be broken. The legacy is one of plunder and opportunism. Change agents with this style have a short lifecycle. Few, if any, dictators die in their bed.
2. The love-in style. The notion behind this approach is that the best way to go forward is to love one another to death. Much energy is spent on being liked and included. God forbid that somesone's feelings should be hurt. The calm that this style generates is seen as progress, that things are better, that the dictator is benevolent, like a loving father/mother. Unfortunately, this style lulls people to sleep, to accept mediocrity, to promore incompetent folks, and to lower standards of performance. Change agents with this style have a medium lifecycle. Most, if not all, die in their bed.
3. The respect-me style. The notion behind this approach is that the best way forward is to earn the respect and trust from others. The energy here is on best practices, on renewal, on continuous improvement. Professionalism rules and competence is a requirement for advancement and job security. You do not have to love this person, just respect his/her intellect and ability to bring about the right change. This style does not have a need to flex its muscles, is not narcissistic, and is not full of him/herself. Change agents with this style tend to live to fight another day. They teach by examples and produce many disciples. Yes, all of them die in their bed serenely.
What's you style? What are you most comfortable with? How are others describe you?
Enjoy the journey along the learning curve!
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