Leaders have to manage change. Think of your favorite sports team: players get hurt, new challenges crop up, and the dynamics of teamwork are always in play. The key is to manage the changes like it’s an artform.
We usually lean into those leaders who are change-agents rather than change-managers. The latter have a deft hand and demonstrate wisdom above and beyond raw energy. Change-managers are like the guys who paint around the windows before the rest of the crew comes in and blazes a trail with their rollers and spray guns. The spray gun is fun and loud and fast. The guy who “cuts in” the window– that’s my kind of leader.
I see new school leaders and new church leaders come into their positions with gusto and new ideas. If you didn’t see gusto, you’d be worried. What I don’t see, though, is an appreciation for the management of change.
A good leader wants to make a difference.
A great leader wants to make a difference over the long haul.
A good leader likes to change things.
A great leader knows the right things to change.
A good leader thinks everything is open to evaluation.
A great leader recognizes that some events/traditions/mores are part of the very ethos of the community (and therefore not worth changing).
