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CHAPTER 15: LEADING CHANGE 461
refused to take calls during the evening between 6:30 and 9:00. In the
hard-charging, fast-paced organization, his behavior raised eyebrows, but
gradually, as colleagues saw that he actually became more rather than less
productive, they also began leading more balanced lives.
• Right words. With this strategy, a leader turns an opponent’s negative
attitudes, comments, or behaviors into opportunities for change that others
will notice. One good example relates to diversity and the challenges that
minorities face in organizations, as described in Chapter 11. A sales
executive was disturbed by the fact that the few minority managers in his
organization had a hard time getting noticed and listened to. At a staff
meeting, Carol, a new female marketing director, raised several concerns
and questions, but was routinely ignored. Later in the meeting, a white
male manager raised similar concerns, and everyone directed their attention
toward him. The sales executive quickly jumped in, saying, “That’s a really
important point and I’m glad you picked up on Carol’s comments. Carol,
did he correctly capture your thinking on this issue?” By casually calling
attention to the fact that Carol had been ignored and her ideas co-opted,
the executive made an important point without accusing or embarrassing
anyone. In addition, he raised Carol’s visibility and drew her directly into
the discussion.
• Right opportunities. A more public approach is for leaders to look
for, create, and capitalize on opportunities for motivating
others to change. One woman who was hired as a division
As a leader, you can model the behaviors
president at a technology company was opposed to the Action Memo
company’s prevailing command-and-control leadership style and values you want others to follow.
but knew she would make enemies by attacking it directly. You can use your opponents’ negative
She focused on leading her own division in a participative way comments, attitudes, or behaviors as
and sharing as much power and authority with followers as she opportunities to illustrate the value of a
could. Moreover, when she was asked to make presentations different approach. You can make allies and
to the company’s executive staff, she passed the opportunity to work with them to move important change
those who had worked directly on the project. The employees issues to the forefront.
gained greater skills and experience and other executives were
able to see and recognize their abilities and contributions.
• Alliance building. With strategic alliance building, the leader
works closely with others to move issues to the forefront more quickly
and directly than would be possible working alone. This is the most public
and most political approach to everyday change. Recall the discussion
of coalitions and allies from Chapter 12. The leader enlists the support
and assistance of people who agree with his or her ideas for change. In
addition, smart leaders look at everyone, even those who may be opposed
to their ideas or projects, as a potential ally, as illustrated by the following
example.

IN THE LEAD Paul Wielgus, Allied Domecq
Paul Wielgus doesn’t consider himself a revolutionary, but he sparked a transfor-
mation at the global company Allied Domecq, whose brands include Courvoisier
and Beefeater, by effectively persuading people who were originally opposed to his
plans. Wielgus headed a new learning and training department designed to help
people throughout the company break out of outdated thinking and be more cre-
ative and adaptable. The problem was, even though the department had the support
of top management, many executives thought it was a waste of time and money.