Self-aware leaders understand that behavior only changes over time, so they invest the energy and resources necessary to implement programs that will generate long-lasting, positive change in their organization.
I talk with a lot of well-meaning leaders and professionals who want to provide leadership, effective communication or team building workshops for their employees. They tell me what their workplaces are like, share a laundry list of difficult challenges and situations and then expect to fix everything in a two-hour workshop. What they don’t realize is that behavior only changes over time, here are some reasons why:
- People get used to doing things a certain way.
- People fall into habits.
- People like order and predictability.
- People will endure almost anything as long as it’s familiar.
- People are uncomfortable with change.
Leaders who practice self-awareness understand that their thoughts and actions can encourage behavioral change in the workplace or stifle it. Change requires deliberate and continuous effort as well as a move from short-term thinking to long-term education. A single workshop might inspire someone to briefly adjust the way they do things but, for the most part, they’ll revert back to their old behaviors if ongoing support isn’t provided.
What will you do to develop self-awareness and change behavior over time?
Cheers,
Guy