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Being a Changemaker means looking at problems, finding solutions, and not being comfortable with the status quo. When I was a kid, one of my dad’s cassette tape decks wasn’t working, so I took it all apart to find out what the problem was. I do this with everything. I’ll look at something and say, “Why can’t this be better?” It’s a kind of frustration with the status quo. I call myself a recovering perfectionist.
As a Changemaker, I constantly take off one hat and put on another to chase a different problem. The common theme is looking for things that could be better, and that can be in finance, marketing, engineering, operations, global supply, you name it. Any problem can be solved with the right people and the right effort.
My favorite Changemaker is Marcus Buckingham. Two books of his stand out: ‘First, Break All the Rules’ and ‘Now, Discover Your Strengths.’ They're great for helping you rethink how you're attacking a problem.
It’s important to be comfortable in your own shoes, know your strengths, and see where you can add the most benefit. Early in my career, I wanted to be this up-front leader of leaders, somebody that everybody looks up to and considers important. I’ve gotten more comfortable with who I am and my strengths in building systems, finding problems, and solving them.
It’s instrumental to build your people up and then get out of their way. Let them own a change without micromanaging, but come in every once in a while to make sure that we're still headed in the right direction.
It takes consistency to get people on board with a change. I’ve heard it said that you have to communicate things 17 times for people to get it. Just because you've said something one time doesn’t mean it’s been communicated. If the student hasn't learned, then the teacher hasn't taught.
Leadership is an important value for a Changemaker. You find the people that you know are on board then use that momentum to expand the number of people who are ready and willing to move in the right direction. You don't have to have all the answers about how you're going to get to a goal. You just need to decide on a destination and start moving toward it.
Change is emotionally expensive, and deciding to do something differently can be a difficult process. There's a historical nature to it: if people have done it one way, they always want to do it that way.
Think about what's possible. The truly brilliant are the people who see beyond what's been done. Think of someone like Steve Jobs, who gave customers something that they didn't even know they wanted yet.
First, you have to change yourself. If you are frustrated but don't say anything, you haven't gotten anywhere. You have to put in the emotional energy to change yourself and bring others along with you.