YOU ARE THE LEADER YOU ARE SEEKING

The author, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, discusses the concept of a mindshift, which he says “refers to a transformative change in thinking and approach, particularly in response to the 21st Century’s fast-evolving business landscape and the need for continuous innovation.” He contends that “team members who lead change have and will continue to come from all levels of organizations, often far beyond the C-Suite.” He further notes that “effective change agents collectively describe themselves as problem-solvers and critical thinkers. But they also differ in some traits. For example, some strongly identify as extroverts, others quiet introverts.” In learning how to earn and exert influence within their organizations, he found that change agents “formed strategic alliances, focusing on managing their teams well and building relationships with key decision-makers, eventually including those at the executive level, even those in the C-suite.” He also relates the importance of self-awareness and empathy, citing research carried out by organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich, and behavioral statistician Joseph Folkman. And the author makes the provocative contention that “it may sound cliché, but the essential difference between those who change the world and those who get stuck is that the changemakers take the first step and then the next and continue to forge ahead.”