In their June 2019 blog, ASQ (American Society for Quality) asked the question, How can an individual become a successful change leader?
Robert Mitchell’s response identifies three skillsets required of a change leader.
- Communication: “The effective change leader must be able to communicate a compelling business case for change and a clear call to action throughout the organization: up, down and across.” He makes the point that communication must be ongoing, that metrics need to be established, and progress against metrics should be reported regularly.
- Facilitation: “The effective change leader demonstrates strong facilitation, influence and collaboration skills necessary to build support, remove barriers and reduce resistance to change.” Mitchell goes beyond the more established forms of facilitation that are inherent in change management to address making use of what he refers to as the “keyhub,” those individuals who are powerful influencers but fall outside the traditional power hierarchy.
- Project Management: “The effective change leader must be able to marshal the resources and competencies necessary to support the change, adapt to challenges, and keep the change project on schedule and in budget.” Here he makes the case for a strong change management methodology.
There isn’t much to dispute in what Mitchell puts forth; each of these is a key skillset of the change leader. What the author fails to address, however, are the mindsets that change leaders need to bring in the application of these skills. Among the critical mindsets of successful change leaders are the following.
- Fail Fast and Learn: If it is a big change, important decisions will have to be made with insufficient information, and some of those decisions will be wrong. Decide. Act. Learn from mistakes. Move forward.
- Focus, Focus, Focus: If the change truly requires the attention of leadership, that attention is needed for the long haul, not just the launch and an occasional check-in.
- Goal Posts Can Move: Historically change has been defined as having a fixed end-state. More and more this is less true. Major change can take years to achieve. During that time internal and external environments, artificial intelligence, new technologies, etc. can affect whether the initial intent is still valid, and whether the metrics for measuring its achievement need to be adjusted.
As change practitioners, it is important that our change leaders have the skills they need to serve in that role. It is equally important that they have the right mindsets. If we are to truly serve them, it is up to us to help them to acquire both the needed skills and mindsets. To do anything less is to fail them, the change, and the organization.
New articles that we post to our blog are announced in the Change Management Weekly, our digest of actionable insights for change delivered to your Inbox weekly. Subscribe now so you don’t miss out!
Share With Your Colleagues
About the Author: Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman is the Managing Editor of Change Management Review™. In this capacity he regularly curates articles of importance to our readership; contributes original writing; hosts podcasts; and works with guest authors.
For more than five decades Brian has been engaged in—and a student of—change at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. During this time, he has worked with both individuals and organizations (ranging from solo practitioners to Fortune 100 businesses), guiding them through a wide array of challenges. Decades of experience have given him a deep appreciation of the universal patterns that underlie successfully navigating even the most difficult changes.
In addition to his work as our Managing Editor, Brian is a transformation coach, supporting both individual and organizational change. Brian is committed to passing his “lessons learned” on to others, so that their change journeys can advance more smoothly. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and public speaker. Brian is the author of “The Hero and the Sherpa,” a chapter in the online Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing; Judi Neal, Editor). He also has an extensive library of blog posts, articles, and videos on the change journey, including “The Ten Most Important Lessons I Have Learned Over 50 Years of Engaging Change.”
Mr. Gorman’s formal education includes a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
Brian is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, and is an active member in the New York City chapter. Brian is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.
Related Posts
About the Author: Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman is the Managing Editor of Change Management Review™. In this capacity he regularly curates articles of importance to our readership; contributes original writing; hosts podcasts; and works with guest authors.
For more than five decades Brian has been engaged in—and a student of—change at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. During this time, he has worked with both individuals and organizations (ranging from solo practitioners to Fortune 100 businesses), guiding them through a wide array of challenges. Decades of experience have given him a deep appreciation of the universal patterns that underlie successfully navigating even the most difficult changes.
In addition to his work as our Managing Editor, Brian is a transformation coach, supporting both individual and organizational change. Brian is committed to passing his “lessons learned” on to others, so that their change journeys can advance more smoothly. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and public speaker. Brian is the author of “The Hero and the Sherpa,” a chapter in the online Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing; Judi Neal, Editor). He also has an extensive library of blog posts, articles, and videos on the change journey, including “The Ten Most Important Lessons I Have Learned Over 50 Years of Engaging Change.”
Mr. Gorman’s formal education includes a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
Brian is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, and is an active member in the New York City chapter. Brian is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.
