Leading Change Without Losing It Ad with text coverNobody likes change but a baby.  That statement is just a fact regardless of what people say.  However, change is inevitable.  Therefore, we must develop the skills needed to effectively facilitate and process the change that comes in our lives and careers.

During the past year, the organization I work for, The Rocket Company, has experienced incredible growth and with that comes…..you guessed it CHANGE.  This past Monday, Carey Nieuwhof, the incredible pastor of Connexus Church in Toronto, CN and part of the North Point Community Church network, came and spoke with our team on the struggles growing churches and organizations face regarding change.

Having just written a great book on the subject called Leading Change Without Losing It, he is truly an expert on the topic.  I was mesmerized as I took notes and wanted to forward just some of Carey’s thoughts to you.

Also, you should click here or image above to get your copy of his book.  I also can’t recommend enough that you read www.CareyNieuwhof.com on a daily basis as I feel it is the best Christian leadership blog on the web.

The following are just some of Carey’s thoughts:

  1. “I wasn’t happy as a leader so I implemented more change…We went through a year where we rethought all our principles.”
  2. “Change is always hard.”
  3. “Change for a leader is always a good thing…For most people though change is a bad word.”
  4. “Usually if you are part of an organization it is because you liked it the way it is or the way it was.”
  5. “People change when the pain associated with the status quo is greater than the pain associated with the change.”
  6. “You are going to be resisting change as long as you can handle the status quo.”
  7. “You can’t control change but you can control how you react to it.”
  8. “Most companies are not struggling with changes associated with growth.  They struggle with changes associated with decline.”
  9. “The change we long to see in others is the change we resist in ourselves.”
  10. “The only person I can really change is me.”
  11. “Character, humility, and character lubricate the pain of change.”
  12. “Character determines your capacity.”
  13. “Change produces conflict – either external or internal.”
  14. “What kills church leaders is the skill to handle conflict.”
  15. “Separates principles from preferences.”
  16. “Without a filter everything makes sense.”
  17. “In the conflict around change, rarely did I hear a biblical argument.  It was all about preferences.”
  18. “Preferences are strategy.  And with strategy you can be more effective or less effective.”
  19. “When navigating change, attack problems, not people.”
  20. “If I turn to God I won’t turn on people.”
  21. “Take the high road…Looking back on this decision 5 years from now, will I be thankful in how I handled this.”
  22. “My emotions rarely take me into healthy places.”
  23. “Nothing good gets resolved on email.”
  24. “When you don’t have clarity, have honesty.”
  25. “Your top 50 donors never complain.”

The Rocket Company team member Jeanna Lawrence added during the meeting, “The best approach to dealing with change is clarity.  Clarity reduces anxiety.  When you decrease anxiety you increase performance.”

Leaders, what one statement listed above is making you rethink how you feel about change?

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