I grew up with the smell of racing fuel and talk of track days. You need resistance to propel you forward.
Little wonder then years later I progressed from my bicycle to horses, dirt bikes and Ducati motorbikes – and weekends watching the MotoGP season. Last Sunday’s race was a cracker!
Navigating change resistance is kind of like riding bikes.
You can’t ride these machines the same way.
You can’t ride your bike and someone else’s at the same time.
You can run alongside someone while their training wheels are on and point them to a great course to develop their safety skills.
But, you have to ride your own bike in life.
Sometimes you’ll stack it (technical term), slip in the gravel as a kid and scrape the inside of your ankle on the metal pedal.
You’ll get your license and drive responsibly, perhaps be tempted to ‘put your pedal to the metal’.
But here’s the thing. If you are wise, if you appreciate the task at hand, if you are a good steward of workplace assets you’ll notice things.
You’ll become aware of your surroundings, and your desire to understand will override the fear of falling or failing to deliver.
You’ll choose to ride your bikes together as a team, and get to know how the machinations of your workplace well, work.
You’ll get a feel for the environment and test yourself without being ‘testy’ with others, even when it comes time to really lean into change.
The bumps and scrapes are all part of the joy of living and the privilege of doing life together, out on the track.
The savvier you are at navigating change the more ‘positive resistance’ becomes your friend.
Using the strength of resistance, increasing mental resilience and knowledge of the conditions, MotoGP rider Jorge Martin’s post-race interview in Lombok Indonesia had me thinking.
Issues Martin describes are applicable in workplaces navigating historical change and resistance that with careful skill and personal responsibility can drive skilful adoption, and use the conditions to propel you forward in the change process.
Catch the MotoGP interview here: https://lnkd.in/gEziti8K
Resistance isn’t bad. When the rubber meets the road, it’s a necessary part of the change journey.
Lean in and stay upright.
About the Author
Tarran Deane is an accomplished transformation specialist and change management leader and advisor, with a focus on helping organisations achieve sustainable transformation. As a PROSCI-certified practitioner and Grad Dip. Strategic Leadership, Tarran has led successful change initiatives across diverse sectors, empowering leaders to inspire and guide their teams through the complexities of change.
Tarran still works full-time connecting people to purpose and delivering change outcomes.
For fun…
When Tarran’s not busy with work you’ll find her riding through the hills near her home on her Ducati 800 Monster, watching MotoGP races on Kayo, intentionally catching up with family and friends, and trying to sing in key!
Connect with Tarran at www.TarranDeane.com or on LinkedIn @TarranDeane.