Nicola Dickie QN retweetledi
“It’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission” is among the most overused sayings amongst people who try to make change happen.
It’s understandable that so many change leaders follow this mantra. When we’re wading through layers of “rules” & bureaucracy, trying to create change in a large complex system, we sometimes just have to move ahead, taking actions & dealing with the consequences afterwards.
Except it’s often a bad idea. “Begging forgiveness” prioritises speed or the desire for action over trust, collaboration & shared success. Many frontline healthcare leaders I'm working with on a current project report that they don’t feel they have the autonomy to take action in the first place, let alone beg forgiveness. It amplifies power differences in organisations.
Today I’ve been working with a group of leaders using a different approach called “radiating intent”. The idea is that the person who wants to take action doesn’t ask permission (or keep their activities secret) but boldly signals their intent to the people who need to know about it. When you signal your intent to your line manager (rather for asking for their permission) they are less likely to micromanage, but they can still intervene if really necessary.
Radiating intent is typically more effective that begging forgiveness because it:
- builds psychological safety & encourages innovation, flexibility & accountability across a team
- gives people who have information, or want to help, an opening to participate
- leaves better evidence of your good will
- shows others that initiative & thinking differently is acceptable in the organisation
How to radiate intent:
1. Identify an upcoming action: a change in process, a new idea to try, or a regular task that might affect others. It is most powerful for actions where you would previously have asked permission.
2. State your intent clearly: write a simple message starting with “I intend to…” Include what you will do, why you are doing it, and who might be affected.
Example: “I intend to test a change in the way we record patient handovers to save time. I believe this will help everyone focus more on actual care. If anyone has concerns or suggestions, please let me know before tomorrow.”
3. Share with the right people: decide who needs to know; e.g., your team (including your boss), people impacted outside your team & others with an interest.
4. Invite responses: give people a chance to ask questions or share advice before you act.
5. Reflect & learn: after you act, note the impact/learning & prepare to signal your intent for your next test of change.
The classic article on radiating intent is by Elizabeth Ayer (based on learning from L David Marquet): @ElizAyer/dont-ask-forgiveness-radiate-intent-d36fd22393a3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">medium.com/@ElizAyer/dont….
I got my introduction to this practice from @tashwillcocks.
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