How can a low-level employee initiate change in an organization that has stuck with the status quo for a long time?
You can’t. Or 99% of the time, you can get killed trying.
Look, most organizations these days understand the need for continual change. They accept the fact that if they don’t constantly improve, they will be lost in the competitive dust. They also know that people generally resist change and have to be goaded into it by a passionate change agent. But it is a rare company that wants the rallying cry to come from the mouth of a junior player without dirt under his nails and sweat on his brow. That’s why, at most companies, change is initiated at the top—or at the very least, by middle managers who have earned their stripes with years of great results.
So if you want to change your organization, follow their lead. As an individual contributor, don’t just deliver—overdeliver. Do what is expected of you, and more. Work hard to make your boss smarter, her life easier, and your whole team’s performance better than ever. It may take time, but eventually you will be rewarded with a team of your own. You can then make it a model for the kind of change you imagine. And if that effort succeeds, eventually you will win the respect, authority, and higher-level positions you need to initiate the kind of wide-scale campaign you so desire.
If our “work and wait” answer leaves you frustrated, then perhaps you need to move on. Next time, though, join a company you love as it is, not one you want to make over, especially from the bottom up.
This question and answer originally appeared in Business Week magazine on September 25, 2006.
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