The dilemma of change is all around us. School reform. Government reform. New business and marketing models.  There’s no lack of ideas on how to innovate in diverse fields. The big hairy audacious problem is getting people to change.

I’ve seen some brilliant, innovative ideas proposed to companies this year that didn’t happen. Not because the ideas weren’t sound, but rather because people didn’t want to learn new skills, change behavior, work outside their comfort zones, hire new types of talent with which they are unfamiliar.

The energy invested in the politics to stop new approaches can be formidable.   Being on the outside as a consultant I get to watch objectively as people battle to maintain the status quo. It’s astonishing. The talent to block change is so nuanced and skilled.  But how depressing. Not just because it stunts an organization’s growth, but these change naysayers are killing their careers.

Watching these incredible situations has presented me with my own professional development agenda this year: change. (There’s something about the back-to-school calendar that forces me to set my own learning goals this time of year.)

I’m a practical sort, so what I want to learn is how to make change real. Change management theories are intriguing, but that’s not for me.  Here’s what I’m exploring in my change quest.

Changing one leader at a time: people change organizations, not policies, best practices or methodologies. So I’m starting a 15-month Courage to Lead program in the fall.  I told one of the program leaders that I like the concept of courage in leadership, where you learn to face down your fears. She told me that her intent is for leaders to feel “compelled” to lead. Fascinating. I’m also helping Harvard’s new non-profit Institute of Coaching to build its membership  and in doing so I’m learning about the field, which I thought was soft and squishy, but is actually invaluable especially in helping people change in ways that give them purpose and fulfillment. I’m also learning that much of any consulting includes some element of coaching, and many of us can benefit from the research and practices of the coaching field, even if we never label ourselves as coaches.

Required learning: for one of the largest corporations in the world I’m developing an extensive social media e-Learning program, which will be required of the company’s communications and marketing professionals. Social business and communications skills are becoming  fundamental competencies, but people aren’t voluntarily learning at the rates companies would like. So the program will be required and linked to their performance assessments.  To get people to change, one important approach is to  tie the desired new behavior or skills  to what people most care about — their salary, bonuses, and chances for promotion.

Telling stories: in this online social media era, I think in-person storytelling is more powerful than ever. I’m working with The Moth, a storytelling non-profit, to create a program for a corporate client where employee story slams will be held across the country (and hopefully the world).  What I find fascinating about storytelling is that it helps build a deeper sense of community and trust in an organization, two elements necessary for any change to have a chance in hell of happening. Also, the “authenticity” word has been used and abused way too much in social media conversations in the past couple of years.  I believe that the most authentic corporate stories are from its employees and customers — unedited.

Creating clarity through infographics: Meaning making requires that people see patterns and relevancy to them.  I’m quite fascinated with how infographics can create this clarity from complexity, helping people see ideas in new ways.  While my other change assignments are big and focus on behavior, I remain fascinated with innovating communications, particularly the way people gain understanding.  I’ve long been a fan of Edward Tufte, and am now enjoying seeing how to use technology (carefully) in new ways to tell a story with data. (Here’s a link to some interesting infographics related to marketing and social media.)

“They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.” Confucius