This is the second article of a series on ways to engage your ecosystem to change the world. The first article focused on the type of mindset required to best influence one’s surroundings.
Change multipliers question the way they interact with others
The scale and urgency of our environmental and social challenges may overwhelm any rational and motivated sustainability enabler. With such a burdensome objective, the latter, intent on transforming our work, consumption, and production patterns, may want to impose radical changes too rapidly. Still, what seems like one’s best effort in the short term may not be the best tactic for engaging people in the long term.
According to Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown (see the book “Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter”), the multiplier’s leadership relies on the belief that anyone can figure out puzzles on their own, even if they initially seem to struggle.
One could conclude that the role of a leader willing to foster sustainability would be to set the vision, gather the ‘wannabe’ changemakers, create the promising conditions to unleash people’s best ideas and creative endeavors, as opposed to commanding and controlling every step of their way.
Change multipliers act as challengers
This kind of leader is able to turn anxiety into trust and determination. Here is an example of how a multiplier motivated others to overcome uncertainties:
“ We are facing an unprecedented crisis across the world. This situation could become an opportunity for our organization. Let’s turn upside down our business models to demonstrate a company can thrive while preserving nature, nurturing employees, and co-creating with its external partners. I need you to face this ambitious challenge. Here are my questions to facilitate your brainstorming: Why are we in this business? How useful are we for the planet and its citizens today? What would it take to be 100% purposeful? I don’t need 100% answers now. I need us to grasp around 30% of the answers so as to assess how to organize our time and resources to find 100% of the answers in the coming months. I trust your commitment to the company. Recenter yourself on what drives you in life and work. I will support you.”
At the other end of the spectrum, changemakers behaving as diminishers could remain in control of every detail, telling others what to do and how to proceed. They would generate both the questions and the answers, turning others into robots executing orders. They may also lower down the expectations to make sure to reach targets.
Change multipliers act as investors
Such leaders engage their ecosystem because they foster ownership and motivate action with an inspiring vision.
““If you want to build a ship; don’t drum up the need to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea”. ”
Allowing yourself and others to dream big about what you aim for in the future, will create a motivating compass for the long run. It will also prevent you from directing all the steps towards the higher goal.
Activating towards change
Every day, reassure your busy anxious mind with empowering thoughts, such as:
People are smart and can figure problems out.
I give myself permission to stumble as I cultivate new, multiplier habits
Change is a journey
Lasting change depends on my ecosystem’s commitment and buy-in
Refine your engaging tactics through these questions:
Based on my role and added values:
What do I need to focus on to ensure our sustainability mission is smoothly implemented?
How can I leverage the talent of others to tackle the remaining challenges?
What would enable other people to appear more capable around me to strive towards systemic change?
How can questions foster people’s ownership of the vision to illuminate the path forward?
“ “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.””
Feel free to share your thoughts with me and keep an eye open for the next article. We will assess ways to anchor your sense of legitimacy as a change leader!
If you want support to become the leader you want for the world you expect, and if you want to accelerate the engagement of your ecosystem towards the change you hope for, contact me! Here is a form find to further elaborate your ambition and challenges: English