7 Critical Skills Leaders Need for Successful Management of Change

The Inevitability of Change 

Change is the only thing constant. It goes without saying that in the future of work, we can only expect an even faster pace of change.

According to a report by Gartner (2020), organizations today have on average gone through “five major firmwide changes in the past three years—and nearly 75% expect to increase the types of major change projects and initiatives they will undertake in the next three years.” Accenture, in their Reinventing for Resilience CEO guide, also reported a 200% increase in the pace of disruption in 2017-2022, compared to only 4% in the preceding five years.

Equipping leaders with the right skills and attitude to enable excellent change management is hence, even more essential now so that employees and teams can respond to the changes positively and with minimal stress.

We are already seeing indications that many managers leading change in organizations lack the necessary skills and mindset. This leads to poorly executed organizational changes and elevated stress in managers. However, when change is well-facilitated, it presents a chance for a more empowering corporate strategic vision to develop.

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Defining Change Management

Change management seeks to anticipate, prepare for, and create change in organizations in positive ways. It means the ability to stay ahead despite ongoing disruption and improve performance sustainably.

In the Leaders People Love Global Survey, nearly 63.7% of respondents rated the level of disruption they face in their jobs as “very high” and 60.9% of respondents rated their managers as navigating changes effectively, out of which only 28.6% rated their managers as “very effective.” The gap in manager readiness to continuously navigate complexities and uncertainties is clear. To break out of the vicious cycle, managers need to upgrade their skills and mindset, implementing change more effectively.

Change will continuously happen, arising from external and internal factors. External forces such as market trends, regulatory shifts, and internal dynamics like organizational restructuring, employee requirements, or conflicting goals can instigate change. While these factors might not be within the leader’s control, having change management-ready skills will help leaders steer organizational change effectively.

Importance of a Sound Change Management Strategy

If you search “change management” in Harvard Business Review yields over 2,600 results, highlighting its complexity. While leaders have a lot to learn, success in organizational change requires effective implementation and sustainability. However, 15 years of research by McKinsey shows that less than one-third of those involved in transformations believe they’ve successfully improved and maintained organizational performance.

Therefore, to achieve your desired outcome of successful change management, you need to have a good change strategy, especially today.

4 Steps in the Change Management – A Useful Framework

An effective change management process starts by aligning your company culture and vision to remain relevant. It involves structured implementation of changes, securing short-term wins, and gradually achieving widespread buy-in. Consider various project management frameworks.

According to the SHRM, an effective four-phase change management model can be utilized to initiate and manage organizational changes.

1. Define

Align expectations regarding the change’s scope, timing, and business impact. Ensure that all stakeholders understand the reasons behind the change and how it will affect the organization.

2. Plan

Analyze the impact of the change on various aspects of the organization, including processes, people, and technology. Develop a comprehensive plan that addresses the needs of those affected by the change. Your change management plan includes communication strategies, training programs, and support mechanisms.

3. Implement

Collaborate with leaders and associates to bring about the change. Provide support, guidance, and resources to ensure that everyone understands their role in the change process and feels empowered to contribute to its success.

4. Sustain

Develop strategies to ensure lasting change by working with leaders and staff, tracking adoption, soliciting ongoing feedback, and addressing challenges. Reinforce desired behaviors to embed the change into the organization’s culture and processes for the long term.

Kurt Lewin, the developer of Lewin’s Change Management Model, stated, “Motivation for change must be generated before change can occur. One must be helped to re-examine many cherished assumptions about oneself and one’s relations to others.”

Alya’s story from Leaders People Love illustrates the imperative for managers to take an empowering approach toward organizational change management by engaging the entire team in developing their skills. Check it out here.

7 Critical Skills for Business Leaders Managing Organizational Change

To effectively manage change means being both strategic and tactical. Based on our experience, the challenges are often a mixture of both. Here are our suggestions for what skills you need as you plan your change management efforts.

1. Define a Common Understanding

To understand change management processes, consider establishing the “ground rules” and adapt as you go along with an agile mindset.

• Identify what stays the same through change, such as your mission, vision, or values.
• Recognize that internal structures and key performance indicators can evolve, even longstanding ones.
• Establish ongoing feedback loops for a smooth transition from old to new, including communication strategies and how often you communicate.
• Engage people in refining workflows or organizational processes.

2. Engage and Communicate Effectively

The key ingredient to being successful in managing organizational change is effective communication. This includes your middle managers, not only your senior management teams. Leaders at every level must communicate the transition constantly in sustaining acceleration and overcoming resistance gradually.

When you share change initiatives with your organization, empower everyone involved, be it employees or key stakeholders. This can be done when adopting new technology, systems, or procedures. Employees need to also feel like their opinions are being heard and considered.

Effective communication between managers and employees can smoothen the process of change. Likewise, poor communication can cause confusion and resentment. Being direct and transparent helps.

Listen to our podcast interview with Lee Mun Choon, Social Enterprise Leader as he emphasizes the Joy of Learning and Courage to be Vulnerable.
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3. Lower Resistance To Change by Being Transparent

“We resist transition not because we can’t accept the change, but because we can’t accept letting go of that piece of ourselves that we have to give up when and because the situation has changed.”

William Bridges, Bridges Transition Model

We might then think that people’s natural reaction to change is to resist it. However, research by Marcus Buckingham and the ADP Research Institute has found that the more changes employees experience, the more resilient they become.

The key?

Keeping people in the loop. Offer them information before they need to know. Continue to involve employees and have dialogues. Here are some reasons why employees might resist change:

• They do not understand the change and its associated benefits.
• They do not believe they will personally benefit from this new change.
• They feel like they don’t have any control over their future and how to put these changes in place.
• They lack the skills to do the new job.

Once you understand their difficulties, it will be easier to address the issues.

Listen to our podcast interview with May Tuck Wong, Leadership Consultant, as she shares about managing resistance. Click here to tune in to the episode now.

4. Make Changes Attainable

Seeing resistance is normal, but you can overcome it if people believe it is doable.

Once you identify the desired change and its benefits, ensure your employees feel like they’re also benefitting. In a successful change management, what you are doing is selling a vision so your storytelling or communication skills would matter here.

Telling powerful stories influences people, decreases resistance, and makes changes more attainable. Develop the essential skills to become persuasive and inspire change.

Unlock the power of persuasive communication.
Check out our leadership story course here.

When you involve all your team members to make changes attainable and practical, the management of change and implementation process will be enjoyable because they also get to collaborate.

5. Assign Facilitators of the Change Management Process

In your change management process, define clear roles while managing change. Discuss how you will communicate and work out the finer details as boundaries or responsibilities clash.

Organizational change management is complicated so setting up channels so that issues can be directed to the right people authorized to make decisions will make implementing change easier.

If you want to manage change and achieve success, it requires a strategic and structured approach at the organizational level so take care of this part as we have seen such issues too often.

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6. Link the Benefits of Organizational Change to Personal Desired Outcomes

The workforce wants personal growth and learning. People naturally feel more motivated to improve and perform when they see opportunities as a chance to reach their full potential.

Therefore, when communicating the benefits of organizational change to your employees, focus on the personal desired outcomes that will be gained from those changes. Show them how the new process or product can help them reach their goals and give them a sense of accomplishment.

Doing this will help everyone better understand why these changes are necessary and appreciate the value of change. Working as a team towards a bigger picture is rewarding for some employees.

7. Collect Constructive Feedback to Feed Forward

Feedback is essential in understanding what is working well and what is not. If employees have an adverse reaction, consider if this change strays from your organization’s core values (at least in their minds). Perhaps it is a communication gap.

If employees respond positively, you know they are ready for more similar changes. Observe your employees and watch out for their reactions. Strive to understand how they react to your change management plan and calibrate along the way.

Manager Competencies Are Critical Success Factors in Driving Organizational Changes

Organizational change is a necessary and constant part of any business’ survival plan. Effective change management models ensure you generate short-term wins and lay a solid foundation to thrive in the volatile business environment.

This is a crucial step in managing change successfully. It will also help minimize disruption in the workplace. When people enjoy the change process, organizations can thrive.

Understanding how people respond during change management within your organization is essential. A sound strategy is a good starting point, but implementing changes smoothly and sustaining acceleration – requires a strong team of managers equipped with the right leadership skills to navigate the organizational change.

Develop the competencies and attitudes in your managerial team so they can feel confident in creating a change program that will help your organization grow instead of being afraid of change.

How to Lead Change Management Successfully

A mixture of strategic planning, efficient communication, an inclusive approach, and the right set of leadership skills are essential to lead a successful organizational change management.

Equip your team of managers with the necessary skills and competencies, transforming them into catalysts for change. In this manner, you set the stage for a successful change journey that not only transforms your organization but also helps it thrive amidst uncertainties.

Remember, the process of change is not a destination, but a journey that requires constant learning and adaptability.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

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