“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” – John Maxwell

Is there someone up there who decides?

My recent activities in team coaching have led me to a strange conclusion. In most cases, teams are totally aware of procedures that don’t work, yet nobody takes action, nobody feels he has the power to change them. On the contrary, there is often a sort of resignation, when faced with procedures that, according to everybody, are not working. Here are some examples I found:

• Changing the frequency or organization of meetings when they haven’t given satisfying results for some time
• Collaborating whenever everybody agrees that it is necessary and the benefits are obvious
• Attending to strategic subjects instead of always running around without ever taking a step back
• Challenging our colleagues when their attitudes go against company values (for instance, they humble people in public)
• or when they do not perform
• Telling ourselves that things do not work well in the team when everybody or most team members share that feeling
• Changing the rules of the game when they are no longer suited to the market or to a changed environment

 

A paradox within companies

I could continue to list subjects that keep recurring in executive coaching and executive committees.

Sometimes I have the feeling that they act without realizing that it is up to them to change and to formulate the operating rules that really work. They either wait for someone to take the initiative (but who?) or they manage to give the responsibility of whatever doesn’t work to “the Team” or “the founder” or “the shareholders”. In short, they always find a way of pointing the finger at someone “up there” to explain why they don’t move forward.

It’s not that simple: empowerment is scary

Giving ourselves the power to change things, or “empowerment”, means being responsible for ourselves and those with whom we interact.

Sartre said that feeling responsible forces us to face an everlasting existential anxiety: if I am ultimately responsible for my actions, it means that:

• There is nobody whom I can hold accountable for my mistakes and my failures
• I have to face my choices alone
• Nobody can save me.

 

When company executives are concerned, the members of the Executive Committee can only rely on themselves in case of failure. They face their choice alone and they cannot turn to a “saviour” because that’s precisely their role. Yet responsibility is scary! When faced with the ultimate responsibility,  the human reaction is to freeze, to avoid budging.  It is better to continue having the same useless meetings, the same non-cooperative attitudes, to keep mum. Everything is at a standstill, just like a play where the actors always play the same part, whereas everybody KNOWS that they should play ANOTHER part.

Empowerment = Freedom

But then, how can we unblock things? How can we make them move along?

To begin with, we should pay attention to that general discomfort we feel, as it points at the need of immediate change. Therefore, I suggest that, instead of repressing their malaise, people should welcome it because the capacity for outrage can generate the DESIRE to change.

In order to be a source of change, it is essential that the DESIRE is shared, which implies “speaking the truth”. I have noticed while coaching teams that when I invite them to speak the truth, everybody feels good.  It restores the free flow of energy: once things have been said, everybody agrees to start discussing on new bases and take action. They rethink team dynamics, meetings and take decisions that are good for everybody. When properly channeled, freedom of speech does a lot of good and opens up new opportunities.

Therefore, dear members of executive committees or members of a team in which you notice some malfunction, I invite you TO GIVE YOURSELVES THE FREEDOM to talk and follow through on your empowerment.  Nobody but you can give you that freedom!

Overcoming and sharing our fears

As we said above, the ultimate responsibility of our actions is scary. Everybody can feel it, unless he/she suffers from pathologies that inhibit it.  The human reaction when faced with an unpleasant emotion is burying our head in the sand, i.e. pretending that it doesn’t exist or trying to forget it by taking refuge in a “compulsive” action.  Many people I coach tell me: “I keep running around, I’m so busy!”. But is this “running around” effective? Not really, because it generates the feelings of dissatisfaction and collective inefficiency that I discussed above.

Therefore, even though my invitation may seem absurd, I encourage you not to run away from fear, but rather to reach out for it, admitting to yourself that: “Being responsible for change is frightening and if it doesn’t work I will not be able to look at anybody but myself”. Share that feeling with others who have probably been in the same situation, because it is by sharing that you will succeed in overcoming fear and in attaining collective empowerment. In other words, connect with your own humanity, be compassionate with yourself and with others, instead of saying “I don’t have that feeling”, because, whether you like it or not, emotions work covertly. Nobody will give you a “magic wand”, just give it to yourself and share it with other members of your team whose emotions, even if concealed, are probably similar to yours.

Conclusion

As the Holiday Season approaches, you could start by giving yourself the liberty of empowerment in your private life:

• Which is the message that you have always wanted to convey but have never dared mention?
• Which action could give you the freedom that you have always wanted?
• How would you like to be looked at by others?
• What should you do to look at yourself from that same perspective?

 

I wish you a wonderful Holiday Season … with complete freedom!