Why Change Is Difficult for Successful People by Bill Hawkins
You have a major change initiative you need to introduce to the organization. So you’re thinking, “I’m going to have some of my most experienced, successful people on my team help me lead this change.” Right? Research shows you shouldn’t count on it. Why? There are three key beliefs that successful people have which make them successful, but that can also make change so much more difficult for them than for the other people on the team.
The first belief: “I am successful.” See, successful people have this positive self-image. They see themselves as winners in the game of life. And of course, it gives them self-confidence and an attitude that is positively correlated with a willingness to take risks and to do what they think is right to be successful. That’s good. But successful people are also delusional—in a good way. They have this belief that previous success is going to somehow give them the universal keys to success in the future. “What I did in 1995 and in 2005 is going to be exactly what I need to do this year for success,” which, of course, may or may not be true. Successful people may also discount the opinions of people who don’t match their definition of success. They’ll evaluate, “How long have you been with this organization? What history of successes do you have and how much money do you make and what’s your title?” We tend to accept feedback from others that is consistent with the way we see ourselves, and we reject feedback that is inconsistent with the way we see ourselves. It’s difficult for successful people to take negative feedback.
The second belief: “I will succeed.” That unflappable sense of optimism and that high sense of internal control is a positive. “External forces are not going to control my destiny. I’m going to make things happen.” This persistence even in the face of difficult odds is also positive. The downside, however, is that it’s hard for successful people to recognize when it’s time to let go. “When is my initiative not working?”
It’s also difficult to have to win all the time. We call that winning too much. Sometimes change initiatives present an opportunity to let other people win.
And the last belief: “I choose to succeed.” Successful people score high on the need for self-determination. Successful people bring a strong sense of personal commitment; they lead with their hearts and their minds. That’s good news. The bad news is that successful people can be some of the most superstitious people on the planet. You know what superstition is, right? It can be confusing. It can make us question, “Am I successful because I do these things or despite that?” When doing what we choose to do, there’s commitment; without it, there is simply compliance.
So there you have it, the three attitudes and beliefs that make people successful can also make change awfully difficult.