The Best Method To Use In Changing The Attitude Of A Group As A Leader
The best method to use in changing the attitude of a group as a leader. Change is an element of human development which occurs consistently throughout the life of a person. However, for change to occur it solely depends on the individual’s choice to change and nothing else. Any kind of external stimuli can be applied to a person but until that person chooses to change all those external influences will be futile. This is the main reason why as a leader you should guard against trying to effect changes in those who are in your group through the use of your external authority or power. Although, results can be gained from such a method it does not provide you with optimum outputs with regards to the amount of energy they put into a particular task. This goes on to highlight the saying that you can force a horse to the stream but you can never force it to drink.
In the bid of leaders to effect various changes in the lives of their followers, there are two main approaches or methods that can be used. Each of these methods or approaches has its own way of providing you with results and it is by critically analyzing these two methods that you can make use of the one that best suits the interests of the entire group and what they seek to accomplish in the future. These two methods of effecting change in your followers are:
The worsening of current or present conditions: This refers to certain measures being put in place which help to make certain working conditions unbearable for others so as to spur them on to change. In other words, this can also be regarded as turning on the heat on those that you want to change. This is a method that is known to provide instantaneous results due to the fact that no individual is comfortable with harsh living conditions and therefore people are always ready to change from one direction to the other in order to seek conditions that are better than what they were previously exposed to. However, the use of this method of effecting change also comes with its own advantages and disadvantages which include;
Advantages of turning on the heat to effect a change in a group of people:
1. It provides you with quick and positive results with regards to getting the people concerned to change 2. Change under this method occurs within a short period of time 3. It has a high percentage of getting people to change
Disadvantages of turning on the heat to effect a change in a group of people
1. The people involved may not necessarily be pleased with changing and as such their output may also be very low 2. The outcome of such a method of effecting change is also unknown as people always look to find other situations that they may see as being comfortable. This means that there is the tendency of getting people who will end up with a variety of changes that won’t be in the best interest of what you seek to achieve. 3. The effects of such a method do not last very long as the people concerned begin to look for other available conditions better than where they have ended up.
These are the main advantages and disadvantages of making your people become dissatisfied with a present condition in order for them to change.
The creation of a general achievable goal or vision: This refers to helping each and every member of the group to come to terms with what it is that they are striving for and this will, in turn, get them conditioned to realize that they need to change if they are to make any meaningful headway in what they are doing. This method requires that the leader makes a positive connection with each and everyone involved through his or her inspirational presence. This will get the people to become connected with the main vision of the group and by recognizing that they will be also taking a deeper look within themselves to find out what they have been doing that has not been allowing them to reach their goals.
The main disadvantage of such a method of changing your people is that it can really take a very long time to materialize.
On the other hand, with the use of such a method, you are also presented with the following advantages:
1. The changes that come through the use of this method are always positive and last for a very long time.
2. It also ensures that people put in all their energy towards the achievement of all the goals of the group since they were unified in changing for the better.
3. It is also the method that can incorporate the first method of effecting changes in people which is the making of conditions unbearable for them.
Getting to this point means that you now know how to effect attitudinal changes in your followers and the merits and demerits that come with each method.
There you have it, the best method to use in changing the attitude of a group as a leader.
About the Author
Dr. Jeff Evans
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