Because I Can

On a Thursday evening, Matthew and I sit down after a peaceful walk with our dogs. The purple mountain majesty of the Colorado Rockies blows me away. We share a beer and turn on the TV. The movie Seabisquit is just starting. A little back-story: Seabiscuit is a racehorse and the movie is a story of three men that a find a way back from hardship and together, discover purpose and hope through Seabiscuit. You might be wondering, “why is a change management consultant writing about Seabiscuit?”  Let me tell you more of the story.

Tom Smith, played by Chris Cooper, and Charles Howard, played by Jeff Bridges share one of my favorite scenes around a campfire. Charles Howard, the wealthy businessman is looking for a horse trainer. Mr. Howard noticed Tom earlier in the movie standing in a field, gently patting a golden palomino horse. Mr. Howard inquires about the man in the field -- his fellow businessmen dismiss Mr. Smith as some horse quack. None the less, Mr. Howard is intrigued and approaches Mr. Smith later in the evening around a campfire in the woods.

The two men exchange pleasantries and Mr. Smith asks Mr. Howard, “You want to sit down?” The palomino horse stands nearby, peaceful and eating grass. Earlier in the movie, Mr. Smith witnesses the horse being man handled by five plus men -- one man ready to shoot the horse in the head. Mr. Smith purchases the horse and begins to care for and heal the emotional and physical wounds of the equine. 

Mr. Howard inquires, “Will he race?”  

“No, not that one” notes Mr. Smith.

“Why are you fixing him?” asks Mr. Howard

“Because I can. Every horse is good for somethin’. He could be a cart horse, or a lead pony and he’s still nice to look at. Ya know, you don’t throw a whole life away just cause he’s banged up a little.” (Tears are streaming down my face by now -- horses and kindness tap into the deepest part of my soul.)

Comfortable silence sets in and both men seem to know that they will be friends for a long time to come.

“Is that coffee?” Mr. Howard asks.

“Yeah, it’s bad though” says Mr. Smith.  

Mr. Howard laughs knowing he is in a presence of a gentle soul, “Do you always tell the truth?”

“Well, I try to.” Mr. Smith pours Mr. Howard a cup of coffee.

The next scene is three months later in Saratoga, New York at a race track. Mr. Smith is consulting with Mr. and Mrs. Howard about finding a racehorse. 

“It ain’t just the speed, it’s the heart. You want something that’s not afraid to compete. Half these horses are just show ponies. You want something that’s not going to run from a fight.”

There in lies the change management nugget. Taking action to fix something that others view as hopeless and doing so anyway ”Because I can” is a characteristic of leadership. Changes that test peoples’ assumptions or impact daily actions will often be painfully challenging. We need more change leaders with heart, that aren’t afraid to move forward despite resistance , change leaders that will not run away as grand, inspiring promises give way to tough implementation challenges. As Rosabeth Moss Kanter notes in the August 12, 2009 Harvard Business blog post titled, Change is Hardest in the Middle,

Those who master change persist and persevere. They have stamina. They are flexible. They expect obstacles on the road to success and celebrate each milestone. They keep arguing for what matters. And who knows what might happen? Persistence could keep innovations alive, convince companies to avoid draconian cuts, influence hiring managers to take a second look, or even persuade local politicians to save the city zoo.

Learn to lead change, because you can.  

Tagged as: Change Management, Change Stories, Harvard Business Review, HBR, Leadership, personal stories