In this brief dialogue, Speaker B identifies the core challenge for leaders attempting to shift to new ways of working as the fear of the unknown. He explains that many leaders, after 20‑40 years of success using familiar methods, fall into a "paradigm trap" where they intellectually acknowledge change but emotionally resist it. Speaker A probes how coaches address common client excuses—lack of time, workload, money—and how to confront the discomfort that accompanies change. The exchange highlights the tension between short‑term discomfort and the long‑term benefits of adopting new frameworks for both individuals and organizations.
What do you find the core challenge to leaders in making that shift?
Fear of the unknown. I mean, let's face it, I've spent— take a typical leader, 40 to 60. So they spend 20 to 40 years of their working career achieving a certain level of success, doing it a certain way. Being invited to think about doing it from a whole different framework, a whole different paradigm. Intellectually, I get a lot of people saying yes, but honestly, and even myself, I've struggled with it even since writing the book, trying to work with clients, falling into what I call the paradigm trap. It's so easy to go to what's comfortable.
Do you accept from your clients the excuse that, oh, they just are, we just have no time. My workload, my to-do list, you know, my money. So how do you address that head-on with a client when you know that, yes, this is going to get uncomfortable for a while, this is going to be new, it's going to be different, but yet if you get to the other side, it'll actually make your life and the, and the organization and your career so much better.
How do I deal with it? First of all, I deal with it compassionately. I've been there, I understand. I work with them to the degree I can, but eventually it's either are we going to do this or not? And it's a choice, just like I ask people to have it. I ask the leaders to learn how to give their people a choice. I give my clients a choice. Look, you don't have to do this. If you want to keep fighting the battle the way you've always fought it and you want to be exhausted by it and you want to go home depleted and you want to feel frustrated by the people aren't just stepping up and why do they always call me and why can't they work together, why do they operate in silos and you're just going to keep asking those questions over and over again being frustrated, that's your choice. You know, it's up to you. But if you want a way out, The way out is not to want something different, but do the same things over and over again. The way out is you got to struggle through doing it differently. And yes, it's going to be scary. And yes, I am there to help you. And yes, I will work through your fears and everything that's going to come up when they will come up. But it's your choice. Do you want to make life easier for yourself? Do you want to create an organization that can execute more effectively? Um, yes, the path.
