If the Shoe Fits, Discover the Power of Peers

The ruby red slippers in “The Wizard of Oz” symbolize the power of self-belief and inner strength. Throughout Dorothy’s journey to Oz, she sought the help of others to return home. Yet, at the end of the movie, Glinda the Good Witch revealed that Dorothy can return to Kansas by clicking the ruby slippers together three times and saying, “There’s no place like home.” Glinda also emphasized that Dorothy always had the power to go home and didn’t need help from anyone else to do so. While she suggests that Dorothy should have felt it in her heart, she had to discover it for herself.

The Value of Self-Discovery 

These slippers require a bit of unpacking. As a CEO, how many times along your journey to Oz, if you will, were you told to implement a new process or program that didn’t align with your belief system at the time? The chances are good that whatever you were trying to achieve fell short. As much as you may have tried, your heart and mind weren’t in it, and as a result, you or your team didn’t have the requisite commitment or enthusiasm to get your initiative over the hump. Maybe it was just a bad idea, or maybe not. We’ll never know because it was never given a fair chance from the start.

Fast-forward to being the CEO, and now your direct reports are giving your employees the same kind of mandates, only to have these initiatives fail or underperform as well. We should know better. George Santayana once wrote, “Those who cannot remember history are doomed to repeat it.” Mark Twain added, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”

The power of coaching versus directing lies in collaboration and the pertinent questions we ask each other, which help us reach our own conclusions about maximizing opportunities and meeting tough challenges. Khalil Gibran describes it as, “The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.” Why does this make sense? Because, according to the principles of stakeholder engagement and participatory decision-making, those who are involved in creating the solution have a vested interest in its success. Keep leaving them out if it, and nothing will improve.

The Power of Peers

McKinsey has consistently reported that employee adoption of change initiatives is crucial to their success. According to the research, successful change management significantly relies on the active participation and buy-in from employees. When employees understand, commit to, and adopt the change, the likelihood of achieving the desired outcomes increases. McKinsey emphasizes that engaging employees at all levels, communicating effectively, and addressing concerns are vital strategies for fostering adoption. This ensures that the change initiative aligns with the organization’s goals and culture, ultimately contributing to the company’s overall success and sustainability.

Harness Their Gifts

Regardless of which study you reference, it’s clear that change initiatives either fail or underperform more often than they succeed. With the pace of change increasing daily, we must improve. A .300 batting average may be acceptable in Major League Baseball, but it is unacceptable in today’s business climate. The good news is that you have a cadre of committed employees who want to be heard and make a positive difference. Rather than direct them, harness the gifts they bring to the table and involve them in collaborative activities to shape what’s next for your company. Will this process take longer than merely directing them? Sure. Will it be more successful, though? Absolutely.

Summary

Just as Dorothy discovered, her ruby red slippers gave her the power to return home whenever she liked. The power of the peers in your organization offers you the same potential to adapt to change more successfully. While it may involve more than clicking your heels three times and saying, “There’s no place like home,” you’ll receive more than a trip back to Kansas. You’ll have a workforce that feels heard, unified, and empowered to make a positive difference for many years to come. As the CEO, it’s time for you to believe in the incalculable power of your people and the potential of what can be unlocked if you think more horizontally than vertically. If you do, or if the shoe fits, so to speak, you can achieve anything together.

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