In one of my first essays, I told you about one of my early bosses at Air Products.  I was lucky enough to have, at the beginning of my career, someone who taught me (and modeled for me) the importance of being a good, thoughtful human being first and a manager second.  I have many “Tom-ism’s” swirling in my head and they are a staple of my coaching repertoire. 

The topic of today’s essay has its origins in a discussion that I honestly cannot remember.  I struggled early in my career (and many would say later in my career) navigating corporate politics.  The issue when I was younger was more around naivete and a dedicated sense of meritocracy.  Later on, I suffered from a lack of patience with incompetence.  But that’s a story for another time.  Tom and I must have been discussing some attempt I made at pitching an idea that seemed utterly sensible to me at the time and that was summarily and quickly shot down by The Powers That Be.  I must have been disheartened.  Tom, not wanting me to get discouraged, told me this: “Sherri,” he said, “remember that pioneers get shot at and settlers get the land.” 

I’ve been thinking about this Tom-ism lately for a couple of reasons.  As I have shamelessly promoted before, I have given a few webinars for Lab Manager Magazine.  In December I gave a webinar as part of their Women in Science series and this month participated in a panel discussion with the other presenters.  In both my personal webinar and in the panel discussion, listeners asked about what they could do to change their work environment to speed advancement opportunities for women.  In both webinars, I shared the sentiment of this essay.  The other reason I’ve been thinking about this truism is the change in our Federal Administration and the inevitable flip flop that adherents of both main political parties are now taking toward change.  While the hypocrisy of these public figures is a topic for another time (or maybe never because it just drives me nuts that much), it is instructive to see how reactionary they can be toward proposals of change.  A proposal made by one party is immediately met by resistance from the other, even if said proposal was essentially made by the resistant party when THEY were in power (and thus shot down by the party that just proposed it this time).

The essence of the sage advice herein is that if you are someone who wants to bring new ideas or thinking into an organization or environment, expect to get shot down.  The severity of the rejection and its speed will be in direct proportion to how big a change from the norm you are proposing.  Human beings resist change under all but the direst conditions (and even then).  I don’t care how obvious it may seem to you; how beneficial the change would be to whomever you are proposing it; or, how well you’ve thought through your argument and presentation.  Pioneers get shot at.  It’s only after the long hard slog of continuing to push your argument, working your influence, cajoling and needling, that people start to come over to your idea.  And by then everyone forgets it was even your idea.  As the change takes root, everyone forgets that this was such a big deal.  Settlers then get the land.

I’ve written about “change” before, but that was more in the context of what drives change and acceptance of it.  This essay is more about the effect on the “changer”.  All throughout my life, I have felt a constant pull toward agitating for change.  I am not really sure what drives that discomfort with the status quo, but I do know that the discomfort is asymmetric.  I have agitated for change when there is something I’ve wanted and could not get or when I’ve seen others unfairly held back.  I have stood squarely against change, I am somewhat ashamed to say, when I’ve felt I’ve had something to lose. Everyone has felt both sides of this change dynamic.

I am a big fan, as you know, of “owning your own stuff.”  Personal Accountability is, and always will be, my Number One hot button.  I get very annoyed when I hear someone expressing frustration with a situation yet refusing to own what they, themselves, can do to change said situation.  Part of that desire to play the victim, unconscious though it may usually be, comes sometimes from not wanting to put in the effort to create change but sometimes also from the fear of being shot at (figuratively, I hope) while trying.  Putting yourself out there, being that Pioneer, means making yourself vulnerable.  And being vulnerable requires extraordinary courage.  And being courageous requires energy.  And a willingness to be shot at multiple times.  And, sometimes, an acceptance that when the shooting finally stops, others get to settle the land and reap the rewards.  That is really hard. 

To be willing to repeatedly expose yourself to these difficulties requires steadfast intrinsic motivation—taking action because you know it is the right thing to do and the action itself is its own reward.  Remember that while there are some people out there who like agitating for the sake of agitating, most of us don’t like getting shot at.  Ask yourself, as a wise person I know says, “Is this the hill I want to die on?”  We’ve all been told to pick our battles.  Know that there is nothing wrong with choosing to back off to fight another day, but remember that you DID make a choice.  Maybe the time wasn’t right or you didn’t build enough support or maybe you need an old General to retire. Don’t play the victim. Learn from that battle and when the time comes to fight again you may be more successful.

I want you also to remember what it feels like to gin up the courage to agitate for change when the tables are turned and you are on the comfortable end reactively resisting change agitated for by others.  Remember what it’s like to be that Pioneer.  Remember that those Pioneers are trying to improve a situation that is intolerable for them.  Just because you are comfortable does not mean everyone is.  Think also about all the times you’ve been the Settler, enjoying the Pioneering efforts of others.  We all benefit, for example, from the pioneering efforts of those who agitated in the 1970’s for regulations around clean air and water.  Not sure any of us would want to go back to those days.  Ask yourself if you really do have something to lose.  A candle does not become less bright by lighting another candle.  Accept that while the benefits of change are always asymmetric, as someone in the position of power you can take steps to minimize the negative impacts. Force yourself to stay open to the need for change. Try not to unleash too many shots on those pioneers. Remember that you will surely again be in the position of Pioneer, dodging bullets yourself.