The ChangeMaker Effect
By Henry De Sio
Duration: 27:06
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
[4:19] – How can everyone lead in your organization? Have you seen chaos create silos at your organization?
[6:54] – Small people can’t do big things – how do you empower people to step into their bigness? Change is omni-directional, can your organization speed up to allow for change?
[14:20] – How do you react when the game changes?
[19:10] – How do you define yourself as a changemaker?
[26:55] – How do you empower changemakers at your organization?
RECAP:
“It’s ok to fall out of a tree.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t climb that tree.”
Henry De Sio served as deputy assistant to President Barack Obama and was the 2008 Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Obama for America.
He’s currently working at Ashoka on the issues and challenges that come with transitioning to a new, changemaker-oriented mindset.
He said one of the first challenges he and his team faced at Obama for America was that problems were outpacing solutions. Because of this, they collectively made the decision to work in an environment that allowed everyone to be a leader. The change in mindset allowed for numerous successes.
It’s important to remember that in an “everyone leads” office, there is no room for smallness, De Sio explained. This means that everyone involved has to be prepared to lead all the time.
Breaking down silos is also key. Giving folks the ability to tear down walls — whether physical or metaphorical — is critical for success.
The important thing to remember, he emphasized during his talk, is that everyone can be a change-maker and the speed of change is much faster paced now than it ever has been.
Hierarchies are flattening and silos are collapsing, which means future leaders need to be able to navigate a new landscape where individuals are empowered to make the changes they want to see. Empathy, De Sio noted, is therefore one of the most critical emotions of any leader in this new environment. Being able to walk in someone else’s shoes can not only help you see what someone else is seeing, but it can change your mindset and help you solve problems in new – and hopefully better – ways.
We are moving from a world of repetition to a world of change, which De Sio says is as dramatic as going from a flat world to a world that’s round. And while it might seem overwhelming there are things you can do to be prepared. Don’t stay frozen on the sidelines or double down on what you know and charge forward recklessly. Keep your mind open and learn to see and react differently. Understand that our notions about teamwork and leadership are changing, which means learning and really listening are incredibly important.
When you understand this new strategic landscape, you can become a change maker and not just make your office function better, but you will have the potential to make the world a better place.
Originally posted on GovLoop by Dorothy Ramienski Amatucci.
