Leaders are more powerful role models when they learn than when they teach.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter

We get blinded by our daily responsibilities and heavy burdens. So, we ask ourselves:

How can we look at the big picture and the future, focusing on doing those things that are priority to bring about sustainable change?

How do we invest time and energy in changing something that has worked so far and is so strongly rooted?

Why change something that will probably help us continue to survive in the short term, or with a little luck, to remain successful for a while longer?

Why take a risk in trying something new if we don’t know if it will work?

Firstly, because if we don’t do it in time, guided by our own values, beliefs and needs when we already see the opportunity, sooner or later -sooner rather than later, I should say- the world will do it for us, imposing its times and rules on us. The unprecedented year 2020 has been a clear proof that we don’t control everything – rather quite little – and that the world can exponentially accelerate its needs as much as it can create new habits by force.

Furthermore, if we don’t do it, instead of producing changes in the system, we start to create isolated heroes. Those people who do things out of the ordinary, who we celebrate from time to time and whose counter-cultural examples we rely on to create the illusion that we are bringing about profound change. But in reality, we call them heroes because they are willing to take unprecedented risks, in the attempt to do what is declared to be right and will be good for the whole. Marvel and DC remind us all the time of those beautiful stories of unsung heroes who are the exception to the rule, and who, therefore, can never abandon their role.

In a process of change we do not want isolated and exceptional heroes. We want good examples that serve to multiply. We want the new norm to be just that, to try new ways of bringing what we say is important to life, to everyday conversations and processes, and for everyone to know that they will not be in danger for doing so.

Powerful question to ask yourself:

What new thing am I going to try today to honor what I say is important?

Make change happen:

Try setting up this ritual:

• Write your organization’s purpose on a post-it note and hang it in a visible place in your workspace.
• Every morning, as you sit in your office, read the post-it and ask yourself the powerful question and come up with actions aligned with your organization’s purpose
• Pick one action and do it!
• Once you have integrated this new habit and experienced its benefits, share it with your team to inspire others to perform this or a similar ritual.