According to Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, there are two pieces required to influence people to change – motivation and ability. The ability to change includes having the authority to do so. To influence change, empower.
People going through change need the freedom to take action and try new behaviors. They must have some authority to make decisions and do things their own way. If you want people to ultimately own and embody the change, it needs to be their choice.
Managers often stand in the way of the very change they say they want, because they don’t really empower their people. Instead, they micromanage, nitpick, say “no,” and otherwise discourage their employees by not really letting them change. Maintaining too much control results in malicious compliance. If you don’t empower people to change, you end up getting what you ask for instead of what you really want.
Who might you empower?
Read more of the 99 Ways to Influence Change.