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Leaders and Transformative Change

by Alan Sobel

Leaders know what they want and listen to how to get it.

Change that leads to successful, sustainable organizations occurs when two factors are present:

Great leaders speak clearly about what they want. They listen carefully to their staff and stakeholders, and they research the experience of their competitors to learn how they can achieve it.

Change leaders need to articulate the future they seek in ways that are compelling and that will invite others to participate in making that future happen. By tapping in to their own experience, and especially, the experience of their staff, stakeholders and competitors, leaders uncover the possibilities and the pitfalls that will emerge as they move forward. 

Leaders keep the foundations of their culture and allow new cultural dimensions to emerge that will ensure future success.

Change alters what happens inside an organization. It also alters how things happen. Change alters relationships, and consequently, the culture of an organization can change for the better or worse.  There is always something about the current culture of an organization that has contributed to its past success. But becoming an organization that, for instance, seeks greater accountability, transparency and risk management, will alter existing relationships considerably. 

Leaders keep the best of their past while hoisting in new cultural elements that will be crucial to their continued success.

Leaders mentor their champions, learn from the cynics and ensure that the undecided among them are positively engaged in change.

In every change, there are champions, cynics and the undecided. Typically, their presence in an organization can be charted along a bell curve.

 

bell curve

Champions

Typically, there are fewer champions of change than others. They represent the group that, seeing the opportunities associated with change, are most positive and excited about it. Often, they run ahead of others in the organization. They help to lead change and get others on board. At the same time, though, their enthusiasm can alienate others and even marginalize them. They are at risk of running too far, too fast, and of becoming frustrated and burned out when others do not follow. Leaders mentor their champions by helping them to see what can be accomplished in time, and to celebrate what has been achieved.

Cynics

Cynics also represent a smaller group, but they are often allowed to be the most powerful through a change process.  They typically include individuals who have been in the organization a long time, have “seen this before” and are convinced that, “as  before”, this change will not work. They are powerful because they are careful to be reasoned and have tenure in the organization—and because doubt and cynicism are infectious.  If they are not listened to, or dismissed early, all others in the organization will question the values of the organization and whether it is safe for them to participate in the change. As a result, the undecided will tune out, and the change will not benefit from the “how to” knowledge extant among the cynics.

It is usually a waste of resources to try to convince cynics to change their minds about impending change. Cynics need to be listened to and treated respectfully. They have much insight to offer about what will work, and won’t. But at the same time, they need to understand that they must be a positive part of the change that is underway.

Undecided

Those who are undecided about the value of change comprise most people within an organization. They might be less knowledgeable or more existential about change; but clearly, a change process represents an opportunity to engage this group more than they ever have been before in the future of the firm. By including them in the process of how to achieve the change leaders desire, the change process itself can model the kinds of behaviours that support accountability, transparency and risk management that are crucial to the future success of most enterprises.