So, you know you have a big dream for change. That’s a great place to start. Now, for some depressing news: Having an idea is only 1% of the entire process. Making the idea happen is 99% of the process (Scott Belsky spends a lot of time talking about this. Check him out).
And unfortunately, resistance is a big part of that 99%.
Before I begin, I want to state something that makes this painful process worth the work. The pain that you experience in the process is a monumental portion of the brilliance of the end product. In other words, most brilliant ideas, by nature of being brilliant, are born in pain. Furthermore, leaders who can’t embrace the pain that’s embedded in the process will rarely experience the brilliance of an idea that came to fruition. Only those who fight through the resistance to achieve their goal(s) will see their dreams realized.
Whatever industry you work in, the resistance is an absolute because people will always fight change. There are three main reasons this happens:
1. In most situations, the leader is the only one who can see the vision clear enough to warrant the change.
2. The people affected by the change have most likely been impacted by your organization in positive ways in the past. In the minds of these people, driving change might be equated to ripping away their connection to “the good old days.”
3. Changing peoples’ minds is rarely a one-night event. Trust is gained over time. And in most cases, people won’t fully put their trust in the new system until they see it working.
This presents the leader with a fork-in-the-road moment. Does the leader engage a vision for a brighter future or play it safe in the light of the challenges associated with driving change?
It’s time that leaders stepped up to the plate and embraced the vision that God has given them. There will be resistance, but the pain is worth it. We have so many great examples of leaders in the Bible who knew that tough times would follow the call to a great mission. Some of these greats weren’t even defined by their end-goal; rather, they were defined by the process by which it took to reach their goals.
Think Abraham and his seemingly destinationless journey.
Think Moses with the Israelites.
Think Peter and his call to spread the Gospel, despite his history.
Think Jesus and His necessity to humble Himself as a man, and to hang on a cross.
Each of these experienced a painful process to get to a certain landmark. Each of these great leaders should inspire us to endure the process, in order to accomplish the big idea we have set out to achieve.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Hebrews 12:1-3