Change

It's true. People hate change. I believe, however, that it is not so much that they hate change as it is that they hate being changed. What's the difference, you ask? In one case, change is a planned choice; in the other, change is thrust upon them. What does this mean for leadership?

In my mind, the leaders' challenge is to help people understand that without change, whether in the course of a human lifetime or the life of an organization, there is no growth. All nature intends on change, the movement from one state to another. A child is born, matures under the love of his parents, grows to adulthood, and leaves his parents who themselves continue to mature.

Deb and I went to Meredith College last night to hear a lecture by legendary choreographer and writer, Twyla Tharp. Seventy-years young, in her heyday Twyla worked with the best--Balenchine, Paul Taylor, Joffrey Ballet, Martha Graham. Her work has been an inspiration for people the world over. Here is what Tharp said about change: "The only thing I fear more than change is not changing."

You need not know much about dance (and I do not) to appreciate the wisdom of Tharp's confession. If at the end of the lecture, I had been as brave as the young women of Meredith College who came to the microphone to engage the artist, I would have said,

"Ms. Tharp, you have no cause to fear not changing. It is already happening despite your feelings. Get over it." There are things one may do, however, to habituate ones' self to "getting over" change. Chief among them is to periodically and dramatically get out of your comfort zone by initiating change.

For example, last Sunday morning, I ran Raleigh Rocks, one in a series of half-marathons sponsored by numerous corporate interests across North Carolina. That was the first time in my life--but probably not the last--that I have run that far. And I finished in less time than I had predicted--a "blazing" sub-10-minute mile that put me over the finish line in just over two hours. Not bad for an old guy.

For my personal victory, I have many people to thank--my trainer, colleague, and fellow Gold's Gym member, Ashley Lindsay; the unknown runner whom I picked out of the sixteen hundred-man field to pace me; Deborah, my wife and soul mate who fueled, comforted, and followed me on her bike during my longest training runs; Jim Palermo who drove from his North Raleigh home early Sunday morning to cheer me on halfway through the race. No leader stands (or runs) alone.

I continue to appreciate the readers of this blog who wish me well in my imminent change--retirement. Whatever comes next, I am ready. I have a lifelong habit of pushing myself out of whatever comfort zone in which I find myself. I am not unlike the change haters, but unlike the change haters who become paralyzed in their fear, I have learned to embrace it through practice. Maybe I will see you at Raleigh Rocks next year--or not. The choice, as always, is yours.