Leading Change: What You Need to Know

Whether it’s a full company change or controlling and adjusting emergent change amongst execs, leading change is an extremely important part of improving the way your company operates and enhancing universal benefits. By understanding the need for change and how you can limit resistance from company stakeholders, you’ll be more likely to successfully implement any desired changes. Below I have shared two key points that you must consider when leading change.

1. The ‘Need for a Problem’ is a Crucial Element of Leading Changes’

One of the major stages of leading changes is the need for a problem. Without being able to identify widely understood problems, it is often difficult (or, even, unnecessary) to push for change.

A simple but effective way to identify a problem is holding regular formal discussions with executives. This will allow you to hear directly from them any problems that they have been facing and even get insights into any emergent changes that are already taking force. By encouraging them to discuss why these changes are being made allows you to make pragmatic decisions and tackle any strategic problems.

Note that if problems amongst executives are ignored they will become apathetic, directly impacting results and business growth. It is up to you in a managerial position to identify these problems and take them further.

2. The ‘Need for a Coalition of the Willing’

After identifying problems, any of which that demand a change should be addressed with stakeholder management. You must stress the importance of implementing change by highlighting how it will affect the business overall. Inform them that without working together to implement a change it could have a serious effect on how the company performs.

This will ensure you form a coalition of the willing — a core team within the business that has the power to enforce a change and ensure that it because part of ‘the way we do things around here’.