Protecting the Change Team Some people in the organization will oppose the Change Team's initiative. A few of them will do anything within their means to stop the initiative, even if that means destroying the Change Team. On occasion, you will encounter a person who will even risk losing his or her job to oppose a particular change. It is up to the Champion to protect the team from these forces of opposition. As the Champion, you have the advantage of being outside the Change Team AND of being a well-respected, well-connected person in the organization. The Champion should learn of any attempt to attack or destroy or neutralize a Change Team before the team hears about it. Often, you will be able to protect the team without having to involve the team in your effort. Other times, you will have to warn the team about opposition and ask it to take defensive action. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the Champion to keep the team informed of potential traps, roadblocks and attempts to stop the team from its work. More importantly, it is the responsibility of the Champion to do whatever you can to make it as easy as possible for the team to complete its work: including smoothing over rough spots, removing roadblocks and stopping or averting attempts to keep the Change Team from succeeding with its initiative. Neutralizing opposition can take different forms. If an opponent is annoying but not damaging, do nothing (beyond informing the team). It's pointless to fight unnecessary battles when there will be plenty of fights you HAVE to fight. Sometimes, the best way to neutralize opposition is to blend. This means that you understand the opponent's goals well enough to combine them into your team's initiative (without compromising the team's goals). You may be surprised how often this is possible, but it must only be used when the solution allows the essential mission of the team to be pursued. Another way to deal with an opponent is to distract. Find something else for the opponent to do that will take up a great deal of time and energy. Something that is so important and time-consuming that the Change Team can be in and out before they get back to active opposition. You can also defend the team's position, meeting each attack with an effective counter-move while avoiding counter-attack. You allow your opposition to simply wear himself or herself out. This is a time-consuming and exhausting way to fight, but you tend to make no additional enemies in the process. The exhausted opponent simply gives up. You win because you outlasted them. To use this tactic though, you must have more skill and stamina than the opponent. As a last resort, you can attack your opponent. There is a high level of risk in this action, so be sure you can win early and won't wear yourself out. Your attack must neutralize the opponent completely and permanently. A wounded opponent will only strike at the initiative again and, probably, with more force. Know your opponent well enough to choose the appropriate technique. The Change Team may have taken a
course that leads to a fight you know you will not be able to win. Tell the Change Team
that if it continues down this road, you won't be able to help because you can't win the
battle. Tell the team why you can't win the battle and offer alternative solutions. If the
team decides to ignore you and continue on its current path, you may choose to resign from
your responsibilities with the team. Remember, its better to resign than to be destroyed
by an opponent in an unwinnable battle. If you are destroyed, you will be of no use to the
current Change Team, and you may be of little use to future Change Teams. Accept the
possibility that there could be another Champion available to the team who IS able to
neutralize this opposition. © 1997 ChangeCraft™ Written by Veronica
Boaz and Heidi Jeanne Hess Check Point (Please complete and submit the Form below) When you are finished
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