Pain = Change

I wish that equation wasn’t true.

But most of us aren’t willing to change our habits and behaviors until we start experiencing pain from them.

The loneliness of being left out = vulnerably reaching out to create community

Life and relationships destroyed = an addict’s willingness to finally admit their problem

And for leaders,

Lackluster results and recurring organization problems = willingness to grow, learn and implement new ideas.

Learning to embrace the pain = change equation is essential for life as a leader. 

When things get painful in our organization – and by painful I mean difficult – our initial reaction may be to ignore it, to place blame elsewhere, to make excuses, or to run away from it.

We react that way for good reason.  Leading change is hard!

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” — Niccolo MachiavelliThe Prince (1532)

What pain are you facing in your organization?  What change might you need to consider to instigate health and growth?

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  • Pingback: Pain = Change | Church Leaders May 16, 2013  
  • Stephanie Haynes May 17, 2013  

    I am facing the pain of waiting on God for the next phase of my ministry to develop. Exercising my patience muscles is definitely leaving me sore!