Consequence-Free Environments Don’t Work

Before we get into today’s Moment, I just want to give a trigger warning… I’m going to use an expression that some people may find confronting or disturbing. 

I thought about this carefully, and decided to go ahead, because I believe it needs to be this graphic to get the point across with impact.

So, if you’re feeling at all fragile at the moment, I’d suggest you skip this episode.

OK, are you all still with me? Then, let’s go!

When I released Ep.56 of the podcast, Dealing with Change Resistance, I gave it the subtitle – You WILL have to shoot a hostage.

As I said, quite a graphic expression, and I know it sounds a little severe… 

… but having run several turnarounds in my executive career, I observed at close range, the things that make a major change successful, and the things that derail it.

I’ve read a lot of literature on organizational change… and much of it is incredibly useful in framing a change initiative.

But there’s one thing, above all else – a make-or-break element of any major change program – that’s often downplayed or overlooked, and it is this:

It has to be abundantly clear to everyone that not changing is not an option.

I would absolutely love a situation where every single person chose to embrace the change and move forward… but my experience is that this simply isn’t the way it works.

There will always be people who are too invested in the status quo… 

And for those people, who have absolutely no intention of supporting the change, you can’t mamby-pamby them. You have to be swift and decisive.

The bottom line is, if someone isn’t prepared to at least attempt to change, then they can’t be on the team. They will disrupt and derail everything you’re working to achieve.

And why on earth would you let the vast majority of good people be held back by a few rogue individuals who are self-seeking, dishonest, and subversive?! 

So, yes, you want to bring everyone along for the journey…

You want to give them a strong rationale for change, and give them the opportunity to buy into it…

As the ADKAR change methodology suggests, you need to help your people to build their awareness, their knowledge, their desire, and their ability… 

… and when they move in the right direction, you have to give them positive reinforcement.

But all of this comes to nothing if you allow pockets of resistance to destabilize and impede the change process, simply because you’re not prepared to enforce the standards.

Momentum is critical in change initiatives, and if there are no consequences for people who choose to behave badly, you will never get the momentum needed for the change to be successful…

I use the expression, “shooting a hostage” because it has a dual purpose: the first, of course, is that you remove someone who would otherwise try to derail the change process.

But the second, and much more important purpose, is the message it sends to everyone who remains. You have just demonstrated that you’re serious. You actually mean what you say.

If there are no consequences, then what comes out of your mouth is just conversation. When you’re bringing major change, consequence-free environments simply don’t work.