Can Leaders Change or Not? That is the Question!

Cheryl Offers: Sara and I were recently speaking to a colleague when we heard “People don’t change. All my thesis research proved it.” Now this person is someone I respect a great deal and admire for their accomplishments. I was shocked to hear this fall out of their mouth – with conviction.  I asked a question to ensure I had heard this correctly and the answer confirmed it:  people can’t and don’t change.  I must admit I don’t believe this for one nanosecond. There is a growing body of research that seems to be in direct contradiction to this idea, starting with Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham.  I first fell in love with the ideas in this book when I read “Each person’s greatest room for growth is in the areas of their greatest strength.”  My philosophy has always been that it is a zero sum game. If you focus on doing more of something where you are strong, competent, and resonant as a leader, then you automatically do less of what might not be effective. And I’ve seen people change, including myself. Who wouldn’t want to invest time and energy in being better at something we already love to do? That actually sounds like fun rather than work.

 Sara Offers:   When I work with leaders I always look for the ones who are willing to change.  When those who come out with pronouncements like, “I can’t change – I’m too old” or  “I can’t change…they’ll just have to take me the way I am”,  I head the other way.  Leaders who proudly embrace their inflexibility are not bound for success!  I think an unwillingness to tackle change is taking the easy way out…wimp leadership.  Unlike our colleague’s belief, people not only CAN change, they MUST.  Just ask Marshall Goldsmith.  In his book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, he maintains that the very skills that got leaders up the company ladder will sabotage them if they don’t change by developing new skills.  Think about it.  A great seller is promoted to being a sales manager.  Being a great seller will get in the way because the manager’s job is to develop and motivate others to become great…not revel in their own past greatness.   Can’t change?  Nonsense!  People can change.  They do change.  Change is growth.

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