For entrepreneurs, especially new business owners, the face of day-to-day business operations can change drastically over weeks, months, and years. If you’re not adept at managing change as a leader, you might get swept away by the tide.

Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory

The book Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger can teach us much about leadership and change management. Although it was written to help church leaders understand recent shifts in worship service attendance, it contains many widely applicable leadership tips for anyone navigating a changing landscape.

The title comes from an anecdote about Lewis and Clark’s famed exploration of early America. The two men had expected to canoe to the Pacific Ocean, only to come face-to-face with the Rocky Mountains. They had two choices: give up and go home or find a way to press forward in the new terrain. They chose the latter.

Consider the state of Christianity today. Fewer people than ever believe in God, leading to dwindling church attendance. Younger people are less drawn to traditional worship services, necessitating a rise in more extensive services with modern-sounding music and other forms of entertainment. How can church leaders adapt?

The book contains the same questions that entrepreneurs often face in business. How can we influence and shape significant trends? How do we prepare our teams for change? How can we embrace demographic and psychographic shifts?

The Key to Managing Change as a Leader

As Bolsinger writes, “The answer is not to try harder but to start a new adventure.” Early in the book, he distinguishes between technical and adaptive challenges. Technical challenges are well-defined and have clear and straightforward answers. They can be overcome using traditional methods that have worked well.

Adaptive challenges, however, cannot be solved using existing knowledge and are better suited to exploration. The book is split into five parts, tackling one key aspect of the leadership change management process. Here are the main takeaways:

• Understanding uncharted territory: Bolsinger says, “The world in front of us is nothing like the world behind us.” We need to accept that our usual toolkit will not be helpful here.
• The on-the-map skill set: Your team will not follow you into uncharted territory if they don’t trust you with what’s on the map. You must prove your competence under normal circumstances before venturing into the unknown.
• Leading off the map: This is where managing change as a leader comes in. Leaders must ask themselves what old methods can be discarded to make room for new ideas.
• Relationships and resistance: Any new idea will likely be met with resistance. Leaders must prepare for potential sabotage by people who prefer the status quo. At the same time, we must guide team members through the necessary changes to allay their fears.
• Transformation: At the end of the journey, the experience changes everyone, including the leader.

Although directed at church leaders, this book would be helpful to anyone looking to improve their flexibility and ability to evolve with changing circumstances.

Understanding leadership change management
 is fundamental to your team’s effectiveness. Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching session, and let’s discuss managing change as a leader.

Coach Dave