Are
you
trying
to
redirect
your
company,
with
limited
success?
Perhaps
you
see
a
strategically
critical
change
in
direction
that
would
set
you
apart
from
your
competitors.
Maybe
it's
a
company
culture
that
you've
decided
just
can't
prevail.
Whatever
it
might
be,
it
requires
a
change
to
the
hearts
and
minds
of
a
number
(sometimes
a
lot)
of
people.
A
Chief
Executive
Boards
International
member
brought
up
such
a
challenge
at
a
recent
meeting.
He
said,
"I'm
trying
to
get
my
employees
to
see
that
we
have
to
make
a
change
in
the
way
we
do
business,
and
they
seem
to
be
working
harder
to
keep
it
from
happening
than
they
are
to
make
it
happen."
Frustrating,
to
be
sure,
but
common.
And
built
into
the
human
condition.
People
don't
like
change,
and
if
they
think
they
can
resist
it,
they
will.
One
member
offered
an
interesting
perspective,
asking,
"How
much
time
have
you
spent
on
helping
them
understand
why
this
change
is
essential?"
Good
question.
Many
of
us
spend
most
of
our
time
communicating
what
we
want.
We
presume
the
why
is
obvious
--
it
usually
is
to
us.
Yet
most
employees
don't
have
the
same
tune
playing
in
their
head
as
you
do,
so
it's
difficult
for
them
to
clap
along.
Their
tune
is
on
radio
station
WIIFM
--
"What's
In
It
for
Me?"
That's
where
the
why
comes
in.
When
you're
communicating
ideas
that
require
your
employees
(or
spouse,
or
kids,
for
that
matter),
to
make
a
change,
be
sure
you
include
the
why
along
with
the
what,
and
that
the
why
connects
to
their
self-interest.
Even
if
not
fully
convinced
to
go
along,
they'll
be
far
less
likely
to
be
pushing
back,
and
they'll
see
your
wisdom
over
time.
