A little over a week ago my husband and I rode motorcycle to a city that is about an hour away from where we are living.

It’s a city we visited for the first time nearly one year ago.  A city that provided such a powerful visual of how leadership or the lack of it, impacts our world that I wrote about it right after our first visit, and have continued to talk about it throughout the year…

• A lack of a vision compared to a shared vision.
• Chaos compared to order.
• Anxiety compared to peace.
• Darkness compared to light.

This time we were in awe again:

Color that is so rare along the highway in the midst of this dusty sandbox was popping!  …As flowers were planted, watered, and blooming in the middle of the highway welcoming us!

In a part of the world where trash is everywhere – for these few miles it is NOT. For 60 miles – we’d been seeing what I’ve come to expect in this land – sand and litter!   And suddenly as if we’d entered an invisible force field, the litter decreaseed so drastically that was hard to find!

…And then I saw the signs indicating that there is a hefty fine for anyone caught littering…

• Amazing first of all, because signs like that are NOT normal here!
• And then, a complete curiosity because printed rules DON’T insure compliance or accountability here!

So once again I pondered the difference between the two cities.

One of the men that was traveling with us owns a very successful business in the city we live in. When I mentioned how much I appreciate this city, three things rolled off of his tongue:

1. He sees it too.

• He’s had lots of conversations with leaders in the city we live in.
• And nothing changes.

That’s not a lack of vision – it is a lack of ownership. 

2. He quickly credited the difference in this city to the heritage of the man in charge – who is NOT from this country.

• Which was interesting– because the man sharing those thoughts, IS from this country and his business is as uncommon and exceptional as this city is.

So why has heritage has become an acceptable excuse for people to lower their expectations?

3. And as we talked about the details – like no littering signs and a fine that is obviously resulting in less litter…

• He said yes – but who will enforce that?

And there it is… Someone has to take ownership of creating the change!  

If you recognize a need in your organizaation, community or family right now…  Are YOU doing something about it?  

[Tweet “If not YOU, then who?  “]

When you see an need…

• What moves you to action?
• What causes you to do nothing and walk away?

If you have a vision and aren’t sure what to do to make it a reality, consider this:

Sharing a vision for positive change is easy if you only share it once.

Getting people to believe in that vision is harder.  

Getting people to participate in the change is even harder.

1. The day or day(s) a message is delivered, not everyone is in attendance – mentally or physically.
2. Most people have to hear something many times before it fully impacts their knowledge level. (Let alone attitude and behavior.)
3. People have different learning styles.
4. People need to know WHY something is happening.
5. People need to know WHAT is happening.
6. They need to believe in both the WHY and the WHAT and TRUST the people driving the change.
7. They need to know how they can be involved.
8. And when they engage they need to be allowed to contribute their knowledge and strengths.

But Leading BIG CHANGE is possible and the rewards are amazing! 

If you decide to Lead Change repeat your message and model the behavior you wish to see.  Repeat your message and model the behavior you wish to see.  Repeat your message and model the behavior you wish to see. Repeat and repeat!

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Image Credits:  iStock,  AceConcierge, The Lead Change Group, Energizing Leaders LLC