Is your leadership team complacent, too?

Two weeks ago, we discussed how complacency of the employees inhibits changes in organizations.

Yet, there is another form of self-satisfaction that is much more difficult to overcome: complacency of the leadership team. It generates a negative feedback loop: The more the leaders convey that there is no real need for change, the more the staff acts accordingly. That makes the managers think there is no chance of change with such complacent employees, and so on, and so forth.

How can you as an employee generate necessary changes in such an organisation?

1. Make the case for change. Search for other companies that were extremely successful when performing changes in good times. Or organisations that went bankrupt even in a favourable environment because they became reluctant to change.
2. Find the right person. Find out who in the leadership team thinks differently. Who is the less complacent one? Present your cases to him or her. Get buy-in.
3. Lead by example. Get the approval of the leadership team to work on a little piece in the right direction. Quite often, complacent people fear change. Show them that change can be positive.

If nothing of this works then there is always one last option: change the company.

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