Saturday, April 30, 2016

Three Qualities of Change Leaders

Leadership is about change!

Fundamentally leadership is about change and influencing people to change. Leadership is moving you and others, and evolving into what is needed next. The speed of change is accelerating, Change Leadership becomes a more critical capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by a passion, birthed by a conviction of a sense of purpose of why you were created. Leadership is all about the ability to take initiative and the ability to influence with or without authority. It is the power of example that frees people to do willingly and well that needs to be done. What are important qualities in change leadership?


Vision: Leadership is driven by a vision. In a business sense, the speed of change and continuous disruption in today’s business environment has shifted exponentially beyond the capabilities of many businesses to change solely through continuous improvement and evolutionary change. Simple "Change" may involve dictated behavioral modification that is not natural and does not fit with the person's normal mode of behavior, values, and beliefs. The vision for long-term transformation is required for the change to be effective and lasting. The transformation is required to provide the vision and focus on what the organization needs to look like alongside the impetus and sense of urgency. Change leadership concerns the driving forces, visions, and processes that fuel large-scale transformation.  

Decision effectiveness: Change the game is a mindset, transformational leaders can provide the direction as vision, mission, strategy, as well as leadership skills like decision-making, delegation, and monitoring. Change or transformational leaders are the responsible top executives in the organization, where change has to be implemented. Keep in mind good leaders or managers make tough decisions. The decision effectiveness would directly impact on the speed of change and how people would adapt to changes. The change leader’s role affects most through strategic decisions, congruent behaviors, continuous endorsement of the change and regular communication to keep the momentum. Change leader is a key role that should always be part of the team. It represents the political will to go for the change. In almost every case, if this role was not functioning, change failed or was at least delayed in a very costly way.  If the end state is desirable, it is highly probable tough decisions will need to be made.

Simplification: Change is to simplify things, not the other way around. Change is simply a shift from the “Old Way - Chaos - New Way.” People often do not look for a simple way rather they will rely on some popular models developed by a change guru. Having a model is great but without the buy-in from the individuals that are impacted, change won’t happen. Practically, do not make change process overly rigid or overly complicated, Change Management needs to be changed when necessary. Be flexible- change will always involve failures as well as success. Reinforce success but don't punish failures. Remember change management is a gradual process. All too often, the management heard the phrases "but we have done it this way for 20 years" or "that's it then jobs will be next," such reaction is driven by fear but can be eliminated by simple and regular communication face to face. Follow the simplicity principle, the right leaders know what they want, give clear directions, bring cohesive process, and stand by their word and motivate.
   
Change Management has a very wide scope and is a relatively new area of expertise. Great change leaders have the vision to motivate, wisdom to make good decisions, and the ability to lead change effortlessly. Business will be more successful when they realize that one of their greatest strengths will be their change capability. That being said, it requires a plan and strategy as well and most importantly the strong change leaders and managers for execution. Change isn't always in our control, but it is amazing how much control we have in adapting to it. It's also given leaders confidence because you know you are able to positively adapt to any given situation accepting, embracing, and lead changes.



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