Your map is not the territory: The guide to leading change without creating conflict

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." — Anaïs Nin

As a small business owner, you are constantly juggling change. Launching a new product, adopting a new tool, reorganizing tasks... But when you present a brilliant idea to your team, you are sometimes met with blank stares, passive resistance, or unexpected objections. Frustrating, isn't it?

The cause of this disconnect is often summed up by one powerful sentence: "The map is not the territory."

Imagine that you and your team are standing in front of a landscape (the "territory"). This landscape is the objective reality of your change project. However, each of you is looking at this landscape through your own map. And none of these maps are identical.

Why your reality is not your team's reality

Every person in your company, including you, perceives reality through unique filters. Think of them as custom sunglasses. These filters include:

Their values: one values stability, another values innovation at all costs.
Their beliefs: "Change is always more work" vs. "Change is a chance to grow."
Their experience and education: an industry veteran will not have the same view as a recent graduate.
Their role in the company: your sales manager (focused on opportunities) and your accountant (focused on risks) are not reading the same map.

The classic boss mistake: The "Transmission Model"

Naturally, as a leader, you have a clear vision. You've drawn your own map, which seems logical and perfect to you. The most common mistake is trying to impose this map on everyone else. This is called the transmission model.

You present your plan, you give directives, and you expect everyone to follow. But in doing so, you are ignoring your employees' maps. The result? They feel misunderstood, devalued, and disengaged. They withdraw into their own bubbles, and resistance sets in. This model is the perfect recipe for projects to get bogged down.

The solution: Become a broadcaster-leader

The best approach is the diffusion model. Instead of imposing your map, you act as an explorer. Your role is to:

Acknowledge that each team member has their own map.
Invite everyone to share their map to understand their vision of the territory.
Create a new, collective map, enriched by all perspectives.

This collaborative process generates engagement, collective intelligence, and a sense of belonging. The change is no longer "your" project, but "our" project. To achieve this, you need a powerful tool: reframing.

Reframing: Your superpower for aligning visions

Reframing (from NLP) consists of changing the frame around a situation to change its meaning. It is the key to helping your team (and yourself) see the territory from a new angle.

There are two simple and effective types of reframing:

Content Reframing: Changing the meaning of the situation itself.
- Old frame: "This new software is going to be complicated and will make us waste time."
- New frame (reframe): "This learning process is an investment to make us more efficient and develop valuable new skills."
Context Reframing: Changing the perception of the environment in which the situation occurs.
- Old frame: "This follow-up meeting is just another way for the boss to micromanage us."
- New frame (reframe): "This meeting is our time to collaborate, identify roadblocks, and help each other reach our common goal."

By mastering the art of questioning existing frames and proposing new, more positive and inclusive ones, you transform resistance into participation.

Conclusion

Change leadership is not about having the best map, but about being the best cartographer. Stop thinking that your vision is the only valid one. Take the time to explore the inner worlds of your employees. By understanding their maps and building a new one together, you will not only lead a project to success—you will build a stronger, more resilient, and more engaged team.

HEY, I’M FRÉDÉRIQUE

But call me Fred.

Born in France to entrepreneurial parents, I've been calling Vancouver home since 1993. As a certified ICF coach and bilingual professional, I bring a unique perspective to my work. My professional journey led me to own a web design company for 17 years. In 2016, I transitioned into business coaching, leveraging my extensive experience to guide others.

Through this blog, I aim to create a space where small business leaders can reflect on their paths, gain insights, and find support in making crucial decisions. My goal is to share my experiences and knowledge to help you think critically about your business journey and empower you to lead with confidence.