Leading transformations: Manage change | Online Course Support

You can build a throne with bayonets, but it’s difficult to sit on it (Boris Yeltsin) means: S​elect all those that apply.

 
 
 

Yes! There is a downside to using fear and coercion. It generates opposition and resistance, subterfuge and even hatred. This has to be recognised and taken into account to minimise what can be a demotivating and counter-productive tactic. Both Chameleons and True-to-Selfers will appreciate this.

 
 
 

Yes! Participation and coercion, collaboration and conflict, hope and fear – these are all dimensions of our lives, what influence us and the available strategies. Many people, particularly True-to-Selfers, do not want to admit to or use ‘coercion’, even the use of the term is off-putting. There is, however, a ‘brutal honesty’ in acknowledging what many of us take to be merely informing and educating others is actually a form of influence, using authority, shaming, deadlines and so on, as tactics that supplement participation and collaboration.

 
 

Yes! These are desirable, and indeed essential in many cases, but only so long as they are used while being mindful of context, acknowledging they may just take us so far when we are faced with entrenched interests, embedded habits and rigid mindsets. Both Chameleons and True-to-Selfers will appreciate the value of adopting the strategy, although Chameleons may find it easier adapting to context.

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