Cutting Concrete

The road was down to one lane and I could see the orange construction cones and vests as I approached. When I got close, I realized that they were using a giant saw to remove a section of the old concrete so that they could pour a new patch. In many churches and ministries and non-profits, “concrete” is the metaphor that is used to describe the old ways of doing things, as in “it’s set in concrete.” We know that those old ways need to change but that it will be difficult to do so. Here are four lessons from the road construction crew:

1. Use the right tool. No one would try to do the job with a hammer and chisel. If they’re going to cut concrete, they’re going to use an expensive, specialized tool like a concrete saw (or jackhammer). In an organization, the processes that you use to introduce and drive change are your tools. Make sure that you are well-equipped and know how to use them.
2. Cool while cutting. The concrete saw sprays a continuous stream of water to keep the concrete and the blade from overheating. When you’re leading change, something (someone) is bound to heat up. It’s tempting to stop the process when this happens, but the better approach is to have things in place to provide cooling. 
3. Accept the disruption. Whoever planned the construction project knew that it would cause traffic delays. They didn’t let that prevent them from doing the project. Organizational change always comes at a cost, but if it’s the right thing to do, you need to press forward.
4.  … because the long-term cost is much worse. If the repair wasn’t made to the concrete, the road would eventually buckle. Then the time and cost for repair would be much worse. As painful as change may be, you need to consider the bigger consequences of not initiating needed changes.