Deep Change

An emerging leader in TSA recently asked me this question: “If you had it to do over again, what would you do differently.” My first thought was, “Well, it isn’t over yet brother!” He was speaking about my official, pre-retirement status, of course. Unofficially, I want you to know that this officer is still very active and kicking. Anyway, I responded thusly: “If I had it to do over again, officially, I would take more risks than I previously did.”

That may seem like a strange answer to those of you who know me, because I have been known to take a few risks in my day. In that conversation, I should have also recommended the book, Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within by Robert Quinn. I didn’t, so I’m going to do it now and include you in on the recommendation. To whet your appetite, let me share a few quotes from the book.

Organizations need people to conform. Traditionally, rules and procedures have been established to ensure stability and predictability in the organization. These rules and procedures are important, and a lot of time and effort is invested in ensuring their implementation. The rules bind the organization together and make coordination possible. Nevertheless, today’s rules and procedures often represent solutions to yesterday’s problems. The old rules often encumber an organization that tries to resolve new challenges from the external environment. To remain vital, an organization must adapt to its changing external demands. But this will happen only if a few people are willing to take a few serious risks. Organizational change always begins with a personal change.

One of the Ford Motor groups adapted the theme, “Just Do It,” or “JDI”. A senior executive spoke to the group sharing with them a job threatening risk that he had taken with the company earlier on in his career. He said, ‘Every couple of years, you need to bet your job, or else you are not doing your job. Yes, ‘JDI’ is correct. But you also have to remember something else.’ He walked to the sign that read “JDI” and wrote four more letters, ‘BDBS.’ He turned to the group and said, ‘But don’t be stupid. You can’t be wild, flying off on every issue. You have to pick the issues that really matter. When the good of the company is being sacrificed, then you have to take a stand.’

When we do decide to initiate action, there are no written guarantees, no insurance policies that will save us if we fail. The possibility of failure is a constant companion who walks beside every real leader. Leaders cope with this presence because they understand that whenever they sacrifice their principles for pressure, both they and the system take another step toward slow death. They are willing to accept the necessary risk because it is the right thing to do. They care enough to risk dying for the organization, which would kill them for caring.

As a young officer I took quite a few risks (still do). Some of them were for the right reasons and others JPS, Just plain stupid. Since then I have learned to practice those four letters, “BDBS." On one occasion, as a young captain, I took a stand for what I believed to be the right reasons. I cared so much about the principle I was defending that I was willing to risk everything and “bet my job” on it. And I did pay a heavy price for it.

I only share this to say that my risk paled by comparison to the risk that Jesus took. Look at the price he paid! He was thrust into a culture where “today’s rules and procedures often represented solutions to yesterday’s problems.” These rules had proliferated out of control becoming an end in themselves rather than a means to an end. He preached, lived and risked change. He changed lives, a culture and the future. And he did it in three short years. Can you think of a better role model? Remember, “Organizational change always begins with a personal change.”

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