Why Momentum Is Key to Implementing Change

New leaders bring new ideas. The organization is expecting a new leader to energize the organization and interject momentum. That means change, and brings its own set of challenges. Therefore, I have some simple advice for new leaders attempting change.

I have been the new leader many times. The early days of a leadership position are perhaps the most important in shaping the future success of the leader. In fact, a huge part of my coaching/consulting deals with transitions in leadership, because I know the importance of starting well.

Here’s my simple advice for new leaders attempting change:

1. Increase momentum before you implement change. 

I told you it was simple, but the application of it is huge. You simply can’t change things faster than you have momentum for change to be accepted.

The bottom line is people will resist and even challenge change even when they know it is needed. Every change comes with a set of emotions—some good and some not so good. (And usually most not so good at least initially.) For that reason, you need to build up the positive emotions for momentum prior to attempting to implement change. Get people excited about where things are going. Cast vision for something new. Build people’s hopes and anticipation for “next”. 

2. Then begin to change things.

As an example, that is why you change structure slowly. There’s not a lot enthusiasm behind that change. For instance in a church setting you might be able to change a program faster than you could the church’s bylaws. You can cast vision for the program. It is much harder to cast vision for something people don’t think about as much.

Every time you implement a major change you’ll need to pace yourself before you introduce another major change. That’s because you’ll need to build momentum again before you introduce change again.

And the more momentum you build the more change you can introduce.

Read more from Ron Edmondson »

This article originally appeared on RonEdmondson.com and is reposted here by permission.

Ron Edmondson
Ron Edmondsonhttp://ronedmondson.com

Ron Edmondson is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. He revitalized two churches and planted two more.

Evangel Church: Never Stop Serving

Last year, Evangel started a church two hours away inside the largest women’s prison in New York. A pastor and a team go every Thursday to share a message, preach and lead worship for the prisoners.

Angulus Wilson: Evangelism Is the Heart of God

When the church taps into the mission and the heart of God, she gets mobilized, she can get revived. We can see growth and new initiative.

David Kinnaman: Start the Conversation

Church leaders must recognize that what feels hidden is actually hurting people, and that discipleship includes helping people break free from destructive patterns.