What Is Leader-Led Change and Do You Need It?
If your organisation is ready to undergo a transformation, you may be tempted to outsource the process to change management professionals and leave them to it. In this article, we’ll explain why you may want to rethink that strategy and what to do instead.
At Leading Edge Global, we believe that managers are crucial to successful change. We call their involvement ‘Leader-Led Change’ and we’ve seen first-hand how it can allow you to take change to a whole new level.
What is it and why do you need it?
Leader-Led change means that the leaders within your organisation work together with change management consultants to ensure that your transformation is successful. While the change manager becomes the facilitator, the leader is able to ignite passion within their team, guiding them through the transformation, all while staying true to your company’s WHY.
It works because:
people-leaders know exactly what everyone in their team does day-to-day and can accurately assess impacts and implement the changes within their team;
employees know their leaders, and will trust the information coming from them, rather than a change consultant;
leaders can easily spot resistance, and can address it quickly.
If you’re undertaking a Leader-Led Transformation, then why do you need a Change Manager?
Just because someone is a good leader or manager, does not mean that they have the skills to undertake a large and complex change management project. Often, leaders stumble through change without clarity or anyone they can speak to when they get stuck. Plus, they are usually too busy doing their jobs to properly be able to make time for change facilitation, while also inspiring their teams through the transformation.
A good change manager will be able to train the leaders in how to lead change, make appropriate change plans, engage effectively with stakeholders and coach them through the duration of the program. The goal of the change manager is to provide capability uplift.
You will still need a change manager to write the overall change management plan, run a detailed impact assessment, work with the leaders, run the change champion network and manage the change risks across the entire program.
What skills does a Change Leader need?
Change Leaders need skills that fall under three categories: Unite their Team, Lead the Process and Lead the People.
Uniting their team means creating buy-in and alignment. They need to be able to see the big picture and share the Why the What and the How of the change. They also need to be able to collaborate effectively across teams and silos, and be able to devote their time to the change effort.
Leading the process means that they need to be able to strategise, plan and execute on a plan. Many people either have skills in strategy and planning or they tend to jump into execution without thinking. The key is to grow skills across the board.
Leading the people is about taking each of their team members and stakeholders through the change process at their own pace. They need to be able to influence across all of their stakeholders by understanding everyone’s own WIIFM and what success means for each individual. They also need to be curious and ask questions to gather regular feedback to adjust their approach to change.
What does successful Leader-Led Transformation look like?
When done properly, Leader-Led Change is what allows you to get the most out of your transformation. It allows the change manager to focus on the project delivery, stakeholder management and technical processes, while the leader inspires their team, leads by example, drives the transformation and embeds lasting change into the organisation that can continue long after the project ends and the change manager leaves.
Ready to get started? Here is a go-to guide for successful Leader-Led Change…
Start with objectives: Any change management project should begin with clear and measurable objectives that are supported all the way from Executive and Board level, down to managers and entry-level employees. Buy-in from everyone is key.
Identify stakeholders: Who are the key people who are going to be impacted by this change? Who will leaders need to report their progress to?
Nominate leaders: Identify the managers within your organisation who you feel would be capable of assisting and leading a transformation. These are your enablers and should be people who live and breathe your company culture.
Refine your Vision, Mission & Values: Before change begins, refresh your company’s Vision, Mission & Values so that your transformation can align with your desired company culture.
Undergo Change Leadership training: Training could entail change management workshops, leadership training, or the appointment of a change management professional to help coach leaders within your organisation.
Embed and sustain the changes: Embark on Leader-Led Change, closely monitoring and reporting on objectives along the way. Leaders should inspire their teams, supporting each team member along the way as they adjust to change.
Refresh regularly: Transformation isn’t something that is done once and then forgotten, it is an ongoing initiative that should be revised and reassessed regularly. Agile change allows you to move the goal post where necessary, adapting to change over time.