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Borrowing the theme from one of my least favorite Christmas songs (The 12 Days of…) and an article by Kevin Eikenberry, I’ve decided to put together an assignment or, for some, a game for you over the next 12 days – we’ll call it your 12 Leadership Days of Christmas. Here’s how it will work.
For each of the next 12 days (ending on Christmas Eve), I will post a daily question for you to ponder. Each question/post will only take a couple of minutes to read, but to get the value (and the gifts), you will want to invest some time to think about your answer to the question.
So, my part is to post these, and your part of the deal is to invest 12 minutes each day. (Ok, it may not take 12 minutes, but the symmetry is hard to pass up.) In reality, some days might not take nearly that long, and some may find you thinking much longer.
Today, to prepare for this Twelve-Day Game, I want you to think of 12 little gifts you’d like to give yourself (candy bar, e-book, something small that would make you smile) and get at least of few of them on hand. You will need the first one tomorrow. Then, each day after you read the post and answer the question, give yourself one of those gifts!
Those gifts are meant to be symbolic and meet our human need for immediate gratification. The real gift you are giving yourself by doing this exercise with me is the benefits you and your team will receive as a result of your thoughts, answers, and, in most cases, the actions you will take.
So, let’s begin with the first one today.
The 12th “Leadership” Day of Christmas – The Gift of Change
This is the first day – or from the song’s perspective, the 12th day (sorry, no drummers will be drumming).
Your assignment today is to ask yourself these questions:
- What is the most significant change in my life that I need for this next year?
- How can I, with the Lord’s help, make this happen?
- What is the most significant change that my team will face next year?
- How can I best support them in that change process?
Perhaps you don’t know the answer yet or have many changes on the horizon. If that is the case, pick one. Think about how you, as the team’s leader, can support, encourage, and help make this change more successful.
As you think about this, maybe the flowing with help you work through these ideas.
It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear. It’s like being between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to. – Marilyn Ferguson, author, and speaker.
Today’s quotation captures one part of this complexity.
Questions to Contemplate
- When am I afraid of change?
- When do I embrace change?
- How do I feel about that in-between place?
- How can I better see or understand that in-between place?
Action Steps
- Spend time thinking about your thoughts and feelings about a change you are experiencing or expecting.
- Look for ways to fill the gap of the in-between place.
- If you are leading others in a change, give them something to hold on to.
- With you and others, recognize that feelings are normal, and be patient while looking to the future.
- Select one or more of these passages to memorize and meditate on. Joshua 1:9; Romans 12:1,2;2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Hebrews 13:8.
My Thoughts
Perhaps we see the change as a positive thing. Perhaps we know it is coming. Or maybe whether we like it or not, it is coming, prompted by laws or new policies. Regardless of where it comes from or why it is coming, we need to understand it better to embrace or at least live with the change. And part of that understanding is understanding our discomfort with the unknown.
When you ask the questions I’ve posed and take the steps suggested, you will make the space between the trapeze bars smaller. And if you are like Linus and you are waiting for your blanket in the dryer, it will always be easier when you know the length of the drying cycle.
Stop saying you are afraid of change – frame your discomfort where it belongs – in the uncertainty. When you do that and explore that uncertainty, you are taking a proactive approach to change, and you will be more successful in dealing with all change – even those you wouldn’t have selected yourself.
Once you have thought about these questions – reward yourself! Take a walk, have a snack, or whatever else will make you smile.
I’ll be back tomorrow with your next gift/assignment.
