From the 26th of September 2011, a ban on bullfighting in Barcelona ends a tradition that is hundreds of years old and etched into the DNA of Spanish culture. Whilst for some it’s a loss of identity and for others it’s an evolutionary step forward, one thing is for sure …. it demonstrates that leaders need to sometimes play a long-game to create change.

Movements like the one in Spain to ban the bullfighting can take years to grow, led by a few who are in it for the long-haul… and often it is the long-haul!

It’s par for the course that some things take longer to change than others, and perhaps the speed of this change is down to three key factors; 1) the level of passion of those leading the change, 2) the amount of resistance to the change and 3) how much the change is actually wanted by the people is effects.

So how does a leader passionate about creating change set-up for the long-game?

Passion

When a leader is passionate about the change they are driving, it means they’re intrinsically motivated to succeed. In other words, they are not motivated by money or fear, but motivated by purpose which is far more sustainable over time.

Vision

Through all the ‘pain’ change can bring, leaders playing the long-game need to keep focused on the vision; how the world looks once the change has happened with all the benefits the change will bring. If not, then the vision risks being over shadowed by the size of the journey to get there.

Message

Whenever change is at hand, how it’s communicated will influence the level at which it’s embraced or resisted. We thankfully don’t live in the world where everyone agrees on everything, and so this is not about pleasing the masses. But it is about being clear and giving the right information so that all people can create an informed opinion. There’s nothing worse than change being driven without clearly communicated reasoning.

Enrolment

It can be lonely leading the charge, but foolish to go alone. Collective intelligence and the collaboration produce the biggest advancements. A good leader will enrol and inspire others.

Early wins

The end goal is one thing, but celebrating milestones along the way is essential for two reasons; a) it measures progress and b) gives those driving the change cause to celebrate and ‘fuel-up’ for the next leg of the journey.

Empathy

I think it’s short sighted to simply brand opposing forces as WRONG. Leaders can play a bigger game than that and still stand for what they believe in. As Lau Tzu would put it, ‘Real strength is shown through acts of kindness’. Understanding another person’s perspective is not the same as agreeing with them, and good leaders will always look at everyone’s needs.

Patience

It doesn’t matter how urgently the change is needed, patience is likely to be paramount to a sustainable drive towards making it happen. Look and Ghandi and Nelson Mandela, they campaigned for many years and had both the passion and patience to do so.

Resilience

Some change involves moving thinking from the fringe to the mainstream. And so whilst on the fringe, the critics will bite with sharp teeth. There are plenty of examples of this, such as smoking and more recently global warning. Twenty years ago activists where branded a bunch of fringe hippies, now the tables are reversed with 98% of climate scientist confirming it’s reality.

Final thoughts…

I agree that change is the one constant and that human beings are nothing if not change agents. With this though comes a huge responsibility, because on a global scale, the change we create now will have a greater impact on the two-three-four generations down the line than it will us.

It’s this forward view is the REAL long-game that needs to be played by leaders today. 

© David Savage, Elevate Coaching

About the author

David Savage is a Leadership Coach based in Wellington New Zealand. He uses a brain based methodology that fast-tracks learning and development that gives his clients the tools and templates to increase their potential and meet their ambitions. Read about his leadership and communication courses on his website.