How We Change

If you have worked with me, or even stood near me, once or twice, you've probably heard me tell this story.

There’s a Hole in my Sidewalk“, by Portia Nelson

Chapter 1.

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…
I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I cant believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in… its a habit.
But, my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter 4.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5.

I walk down another street.

I was working with Portland State University MBA students and we used a model that eloquently examined this story. On the bottom axis, we had a continuum from consciousness thought to unconscious habit. On the vertical axis was skillfulness. When we begin a path of leadership, many qualities that we hope to obtain are new to us. When we practice our skill level is very low and we must consciously say to ourselves, "I am going to practice sharing a vision now by...." After a short time, we gain some skill (move up the vertical, but we still need to consciously remind ourselves, in the moment, to practice our new competency. Finally, we have practiced a thousand times or more and it has become part of us. We find ourselves in the upper Northeast quadrant of mastery; skillfulness done unconsciously.

It's not enough to get something conceptually, we to easily fall into our hold holes. We must see what is going on, own it AND practice our new competency, over and over again.

What are your practicing? What do you want to bring to your job, your organization, your personal life? What must you practice in order to do this?