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Home » Business And Finance Articles » 7 Essential Elements Of Leading Change

7 Essential Elements of Leading Change

In my practice as an organizational effectiveness consultant, the most frequent phone call I receive involves clients and prospective clients asking how to overcome resistance to change in their organizations.

Throughout my book, Strategic Organizational Change, I recommend a strategy-driven approach to planning and implementing change. Unfortunately, many organizations do not follow a systematic approach (my approach or anybody else's) for planning and implementing change.

An Unworkable "Plan"

Most organizations still attempt the following "plan" for organizational change:

1. senior management determines that a change is needed

2. the CEO announces the change to "the troops"

Needless to say, this "plan" is inviting resistance.

Seven Essential Change Elements

In the unworkable plan above, senior management has failed to consider the following seven essential elements for successful organizational change:

1. Involve the people who will be affecting (and affected by) the change. Get their input. Workers are a valuable source of information for management decision making. Today's workers want to be part of what's happening. (No buy-in from these folks guarantees resistance.)

2. Communicate a good reason for the change. Human beings can change quickly when they see a way to maximize benefits and/or minimize threats. Make sure the change is seen as relevant and strategy-driven. (Busy people will resist changes that they see as irrelevant.)

3. Designate a champion for the change. A senior executive does not have to take the champion role. In fact, it might be better to find someone the workers can relate to. (Natural leaders, many times in unofficial roles, exist throughout every organization. Take advantage of their leadership ability.)

4. Create a transition management team. This cross-functional team can provide emotional support as well as practical ideas for change leaders. (Remember, no one individual is charismatic or talented enough to effectively implement an organizational change single-handedly.)

5. Provide training in new skills, behaviors, and values. If workers fear a loss of competency, they will resist change. They will revert back to the old skills, behaviors, and values when they feel threatened. (Change invariably involves a threat to one's current sense of competency.)

6. Bring in outside help. This sounds like a self-serving comment since I am an independent consultant, but the external consultant can play a critical role. An outsider brings a fresh perspective. An outside consultant doesn't have an "axe to grind." (And realistically, most senior managers are not trained in leading or facilitating organizational change.)

7. Reward people. Remember, whatever behaviors you reward, you get more of. Rewards do not have to be in the form of cash. Acknowledgement, praise, new job assignments, or additional decision-making authority can be more powerful motivators than cash. (In every successful organizational change, people are the essential factor.)

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

The Executive Resume - Moving Beyond Accomplishments

There is a major difference between conventional resumes and executive resumes. Accomplishments are usually the center point of a conventional resume (i.e., indicating how much money was saved, how sales increased, what processes were proposed, planned, initiated, implemented, or streamlined). The executive resume, on the other hand, has more than one focus. It alludes to the executive's ability to drive profits (accomplishments) and the capacity to lead (that is, to blend various "soft" skills) an organization.

Successes are easier to hone in on. The result is clear, often quantifiable. After all, either you penetrated a market or you didn't, or either you were a top-performer or you weren't. It is harder to capture emotional competencies on paper, to indicate who you are, what you stand for, how you relate to others, how you affect change within an organization.

On an executive resume, a list of Accomplishments does not suffice. Employers expect more, and since your resume is an introduction to your full qualifications, you must incorporate what you have done as well as provide a notion of how you influence others. This information must be presented in a concise and compelling manner given that your resume is your most important marketing tool.

Moving beyond accomplishments

Coupled with a track record of financial success, good leadership is the single most important factor in the survival of an organization. Because of this, executives who point out the following "soft" needed skills on their resume are usually the ones invited to an interview. They show that they have the intangible qualities that promote the growth of the organization. These are the elements in question:

• Visionary - An "idea person" that challenges traditional ways of conducting business, and is willing to take on calculated risks. Demonstrated ability to think strategically, act tactically and have the strength of character to motivate others to buy into his or her ideas, concepts and values.
• Professional Integrity - A person who understands the value of honesty, accountability and trust in a business environment.
• Charisma - Knack for captivating an audience, having a presence that commands respect and has a natural ability to hold the interest of the listener.
• Emotional self-control - Someone who anticipates challenges and overcomes those that are unanticipated.
• Emotional Intelligence - Awareness of one's own feelings while having empathy and understanding for those of other people - and the relationship between the two.
• Effective use of inner resources - A person that trusts his or her gut instincts and takes the initiative to drive change.
• Flexible Communication Style - The ability to assess a situation, and react to it appropriately. Since there isn't much room at the top, opportunities at the executive-level stage are limited, your resume should move beyond the entry-level approach, and focus on who you are professionally and personally. This is why it is crucial that as an executive you present yourself as a complete package - a product a company will want to acquire.