In The Return of the Jedi, the Emperor did a nice job of executing a comprehensive plan to turn Luke Skywalker to the dark side, crush the Rebellion, and rule the galaxy. Admiral Ackbar astutely observed that the rebellion had fallen into a trap and Luke succumbed to the Emperor’s manipulation. Things were looking good for the Emperor, who had previously declared, “everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.”

That’s a pretty good place to be. As a leader, you might be a little envious. You have a vision and strategy for your team (hopefully less diabolical), but you are constantly frustrated that your team isn’t responding to the change. Your plan is logical. You communicated it clearly. Isn’t that enough? Why won’t people bend to your will the way they do for the Emperor? As a Sci-Fi geek, right now, you really wish you had the Force. You might even try to use it, just in case it might work.

There are two ways to implement change: the fast way, and the right way. Personally, I’m not an overnight turnaround artist. I rarely make split-second decisions, wield my authority to make sweeping changes, or use my hatchet to change my organization. I have those options, but I choose not to use them because I believe there is a better way.

The right way is the slow way

Here are my thoughts on how to get to the outcome you seek:

1. Communication isn’t an event. It’s a habit. You need to relentlessly communicate your vision in a variety of ways and contexts: From the stage, in an email, in a roundtable discussion, one on one, over lunch, through social media and video. Say the same thing over and over but contextualize it for the medium and audience. When you start hearing your words come out of other people’s mouths as if they were their own, you know it’s working.
2. Lay out the pathway. Everyone knows the pathway to the dark side: fear, then anger, then hate, then suffering. Yoda knows it, and so does the Emperor. Does your team know the pathway to realize your vision? Probably not. When you describe an ideal state in a galaxy far, far away, people can get excited in the moment, but then go back to their desks and do what they’ve always done. Simultaneously, focus on the ideal future, and the very next step we need to take today to get there.
3. Involve others. Spin-up a series of initiatives that support your vision and empower others to run with them. It’s hard to predict what will work and what won’t. Be agile and iterative. Try things and get them moving in parallel.
4. Be patient. Sustainable change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s incremental and evolutionary. It’s like watching your children grow. You can’t see it day to day, but when you look back a year, you see the difference. Change leadership is often the same way. Day to day, I often feel like I’m not making an impact, but when I look at my team now, compared to where we were a year ago, I am energized. Go long on your investment in leadership vision.
5. Drive. Just because you are patient doesn’t mean you get to be passive. Your job as a leader is all about movement. You have people on your team that can run things. Get out of their way and focus on only what you can do: change your group for the future.

Follow this advice and you will look around you and come to one conclusion: everything is proceeding as I have foreseen. Cast a vision and set it in-motion. Follow the principles to make sure it sticks. With any luck you’ll achieve your goal. On the other hand, Darth Vader might betray you and toss you down a reactor shaft. Watch out for that.