Achieved Strategies

As we head to the polls today to vote, I’m reminded of five insights I’ve learned about people when it comes to change.

These five insights are fundamental to our need as people to be involved, to cause change.  And the insights should be considered when any politician, leader, parent, employee seek to cause change.  These five insights help build bridges in relationships. Helps unite a team. Gives people a voice.

1.     Everyone wants to be recognized How we recognize another person’s contribution may vary, but we all want to know and hear how our work impacted others.

2.     We want to be included, to be part of something By our nature we want to belong. And when we have an opportunity to influence a decision that impacts us personally, we want to be involved.  There is also strength in numbers that inspires people to respond – good or bad.

3.     We want to be heard To silence a person or a group of people is infuriating, maddening. We live in a society that was built upon the belief that we have a say in how things get done. People want to be acknowledged for their ideas, feelings, and beliefs – even if they are not acted upon.

4.     We want to be a contribution This is slightly different than #2. This insight taps into our need to help others.  Causing change is more successful when people can satisfy their need to help.

5.     We are interested in a better future Sure we sometimes contradict this by our actions. But when we are invited to participate in causing change, the better future calling us becomes interesting.  It’s when the future is “put on us” when we resist the future.

When any of the five are rooted in a leader’s belief to serve his/her people, they occur genuinely to us.  And that inspires action, dialogue, and causes change.