Michelangelo, Change Artist

Wise leaders are patient, implementing change one layer at a time, like chipping away at a block of stone to make a statue. They engage top managers and lead the march toward the future vision by walking the talk. Change cascades down through the organization and breaks down barriers, but it requires nonstop communication, training on new skills, and managing reactions to the emotional aspects of change as people begin to see how it affects them and their jobs. Change also requires creating a sense of ownership, so front-line employees not only understand the new vision and have the training to carry it out, but also are emotionally on the bus with the executive team. When there’s a spirit of teamwork, ownership, and accountability across the organization, you’ve achieved a transformation.

Sense of Timing

Michelangelo wrote, “A man paints with his brains and not with his hands.” In leading change, this means understanding how to manage time.

Good artists are more concerned with doing things right than doing them fast. Likewise, for change agents the end game must be more important than expediency. When obstacles occur, effective change managers know how to prioritize problems and buy time to avoid a major crisis.

Sometimes a true crisis must be dealt with immediately, and it can lead to hot emotions and exaggerations. But leaders armed with wisdom know how to settle things down. They know that most challenges can be broken down into smaller steps and that temperance will rule the day.

Smart Choices

“The more the marble wastes, the more the statue grows,” Michelangelo wrote. I like to imagine him pondering where to pick away and what to keep. How did he know where make those choices?

Effective leaders of change also know how to make tough choices, and can foresee the consequences of those choices. These days more than ever, their decisions about the companies they run are closely watched and analyzed. A reputation for business leadership and achieving goals is built over a long period of time, but it can be squandered quickly.

That’s why successful change leaders invest their political capital wisely. Their ability to lead is on the line, and before they take a stand or tackle a difficult situation, they calculate how much political capital will be at risk and what they can expect in return. They know how to pick their battles—just as the sculptor makes the right choices about which tools to use and where.

Leading an organization through change can be the most challenging and fulfilling aspect of your career. So when that block of white marble in front of you seems overwhelming, remember that Michelangelo also wrote, “Faith in oneself is the best and safest course.” With the right leadership qualities, you will turn your vision into a beautiful reality.