Requirement number seven is:
Effective Change Requires Embracing a New Way of Life.
In the end, change introduces a new culture that affects all who are in it, including the leaders; but the change is not guaranteed to remain until it is fully embraced as, “the way things ought to be”. The DNA of the new culture can be influenced, but it cannot be totally controlled. In some ways it has a life of its own, and often impacts other areas in addition to those that leaders intend. I’ve never led a change that turned out exactly the way I anticipated, and each change has required me to change along with the people.
In my most recent “change journey” at Midway Church, we estimate it will take five to seven years before the new culture feels normal, and is truly embraced throughout the church. Until that time, we believe there is a strong risk of reverting back to old behaviors, unless we can consistently help the people see the value of the change. If we can do that effectively, in a few years we will become, in reality, the church of which today we dream.
If you will follow these 7 principles, you will be well on your way to leading your people through the precarious difficulties of change to become the team you of which you dream!