All anyone asks for is a chance to work with pride.” – W. Edwards Deming
How odd it is that pride in your work is too often mistaken for arrogance. I often wonder why that is so. Perhaps people are confusing false pride with reality-based pride. False pride says, “Give me unearned respect.” Reality-based pride says, “I’m not working for your approval. I’m working for mine.”
In Heart of Change, John Kotter lists the emotions that drive change and the emotions that stall change. I’ve listed them below. They are worth remembering and leveraging. I know I too often can slip into the emotions that stall change, especially when I’m frustrated. I’ll admit that frustration leads me to anger, frustration, anxiety, and more.
How about you? Can you stick with the emotions that drive change or do you slip into the emotions that stall change too?
This week, as you try to drive the change you care about, think about which emotions you are leveraging. It just might make all the difference.
Emotions that drive change:
- Faith
- Trust
- Optimism
- Urgency
- Reality-based pride
- Passion
- Excitement
- Hope
- Enthusiasm
Emotions that stall change:
- Anger
- False pride
- Pessimism
- Arrogance
- Cynicism
- Panic
- Exhaustion
- Insecurity
- Anxiety
Photo credit: Sergiu Bacioiu via Compfight
