Problem: Most people don’t like change.
It forces reflection
It breaks routine
It takes effort
And when a change is both unproven and perceived to be permanent, the natural reaction is to push back. That pushback might be an explicit “No.” Or it might come as a silent protest protecting the status quo.
But as leaders, we must be problem solvers. Solving problems with teams means doing things differently. It means championing constant change.
My Tactic: Lower the cost by lowering the stakes.
Compare:
“I need everyone to adhere to these OKRs for Q4”
“I want to experiment with using OKRs for Q4.”
The first one begs questions of resistance:
How will they be set?
How will I be judged?
The second activates thoughts of refinement:
How can I make this work for me?
How can this solve our problem?
Experiments generate data that drive decisions.
They are the process for deciding, not the decision itself.
Bonus: Agree on the threshold of success upfront.
You’ll be even more credible if you:
Set a date to review.
Define a target for cutting it off.
It’s not an experiment if it can’t fail.
But many times, all success required was getting started.
As promised, one minute.
Appreciate you!
Dave
PS - One successful experiment we run is our free 30-minute “lighting lessons.” We have one next week on effectively managing underperformers. We hope you’ll join us.
PPS - I only preach what I’ve practiced. This was also an experiment. I’m considering adding a second edition of the MGMT Playbook each week in the one minute format above. Practical advice. No frills. What do you think?
What did you think of the MGMT Minute format?
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