The Ghost of Leadership Past

The nature of our leadership training often leads us into discussions about examining and changing systems. Systems that at one point, likely made a lot of sense, but based on results, need to change. In many cases, change is long overdue, but is killed by the Ghost of Leadership Past.

Almost without exception, there are various team members who have an emotional attachment to these systems (they helped create them) and they have difficulty looking at results. They insist on constantly returning to the ideas, values and principles that these systems were founded on. No doubt the intentions were noble. No doubt that they worked well. No doubt those days were now behind them.

Therein lies the challenge all of us face at various points in our leadership journey. What will we do: Insist on reality – looking at results, or pay homage to the Ghost of Leadership Past?

You don’t have to make something wrong to move in a new direction. When something is failing don’t use history to justify it’s existence. Celebrate that it served and create something new. When something stops growing, get your team together and change it immediately. Change is always difficult to deal with –  but it’s easier than resurrection.