Seth Godin on Change

Seth Godin BlogSeth Godin wrote in his post, "The quickest way to get things done and make change":

Not the easiest, but the quickest:

Don't demand authority.

Eagerly take responsibility.

Relentlessly give credit.

So what does this mean for us? Here's my stab at it:

Don't demand authority:

How can you be seeking to get things done and making things change if you are too worried about your role and power over the team? If you work with the team, people aren't going to feel threatened, they won't feel like you're running over them. More importantly, they will want to work with you. You can't make change on your own, so rally your team and get the job done. Authority can come later if necessary.

Eagerly take responsibility:

No one will be upset if you take on responsibilities, if you help ease the workload. If you want change, you're going to have to work, so get started and others will hopefully follow. Passion is contagious, so lead the team with it. Oh wait, you wanted authority? I think you'll get more of it by leading the way through your work than through a title.

Relentlessly give credit:

Everyone loves thanks, getting credit for a job well done. Hand it out, and people will loyally follow you. Obviously be sincere in credit and praise-giving, but don't hold back if it's deserved. Because the thing with change and getting things done is that it usually isn't a one-time thing. You will need to rally them again and again, so keep that group dynamic working, and the quickest way will soon become easier.

Good stuff, good thoughts. It's amazing how four well-crafted little sentences can possess so much information. Now to start applying all of this...

What thoughts did these prompt for you? Do you have any experiences where it played out this way? Or not? I'd love to hear!