"10 Signs You're Not Ready for Change"
by Tom Goodman
January 25, 2007

I found a list that hit me between the eyes.  As a leader who has had to play the role of "change agent" in several settings, I thought I had this change thing down.  But at Tony Morgan’s weblog, he presented his "Top Ten Signs You’re Not Ready for Change."  (You can find it here.)  These signs apply to change in any setting—business or church.  See if you can identify:

1. You see other organizations as the competition instead of the idea incubators.
2. You're trying to avoid criticism that comes when you fail... and when you succeed.
3. You're afraid of the culture.
4. Your life is fast and cluttered, and there's no space to dream.
5. You value getting it right over getting started.
6. You believe conflict is a bad thing.
7. You've stopped asking questions.
8. You think systems and strategy are the enemy of creativity.
9. You're expecting to receive credit for your ideas.
10. You think you've already arrived.

Thankfully, I can say that most of them don’t apply to me: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 10.  But four of them made me squirm:

Regarding #2, I’ve had my moments when I went into "criticism-avoidance-mode," which stopped my progress, or at least slowed it down.

Regarding #4, I’ve hit a season of life right now that's "fast and cluttered" with "no space to dream."

Regarding #5, I have often let "getting it right" keep me from "getting it started."  Part of this comes by me honestly: I have the spiritual gift of administration, and in a previous church I followed a guy who got all kinds of things started but didn't get many of them right.  Still, sometimes waiting to "get it started" until you "get it right" is just an excuse for faithless procrastination.

Regarding #9, I think I’m getting better at this, but I’ve always choked on the proverb:  "Amazing things can be accomplished if you don’t care who gets the credit."  That part of my ego’s dying but not yet dead.

How about you?  Which of the ten signs leave you unready for change?  Drop me a line or click here and join the conversation on my web journal.

—Tom

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