The importance of your leadership

The success of any team is heavily influenced by its line manager. Studies show that approximately 70% of the variance in employee engagement and the success of change efforts is directly attributable to the actions and leadership of line managers. This means that the quality of your leadership will play a critical role in the way your team transitions and adapts to change.

Aligning your thinking with the change proposal

Consider the proposal for yourself

Make some time to align your thinking with the proposal and ask any questions you may have to your own line manager to ensure your understanding/ clarity

If you don’t agree or have concerns about the proposed changes talk with your line manager (or your divisional executive director), about how you might deal with this in a way that does not de-stabilise your team.

Consider your people and the impact on them

Consider the impact on your people, the positions impacted, and the questions people will have. It is important to consider people on leave (maternity or long-term leave), secondments, etc, and ensure they are included in relevant conversations, information sharing, and listening.

Consider the likely responses to the proposed changes for your people. Then, make a plan for transition management by considering their potential reactions in terms of interests, emotions, values, perceived gains, and losses. The transition management resource has a range of practical tools and resources to assist you.

Consider your leadership behaviours

Ensure you can articulate the change and the need for it.

Ensure you can role-model any new behaviours and attitudes yourself, and be ready to recognise and reinforce them in others.

Stay close, visible, and keep listening. Recognise that distance will be perceived as disconnection/abandonment.

Be aware of the messages you will send your team through your tone and body language.

Actively deal with the murmuring. People will tend to fill gaps with myths and half-truths if you don’t. It is important to keep articulating the facts, and reiterating key messages and the reasons for change. Stay close, keep listening, and engaging with your people.

Resist the urge to rush ahead. Remember that transformation occurs in the transition zone, so it’s important not to hurry.

Resist the urge to solve people’s problems. Problems will convince people that they need to let go of the old ways and try the new.

Fast facts - transition management

Change is hard – people will struggle.

It takes time – don’t hurry.

You will need a compelling and consistent story about why people should engage with the change.

Ensure your story contains objective facts about why the issue is important and why this change will be effective in creating improvement.

Communicate with your people based on the impact for them (their gains/losses/ emotions/interests/values), not your own.

Appreciate that your people will need different things from you during change. Some will want to know the end goal (what will happen as a result); others will be more interested in what happens along the way.

You won’t be successful in taking everyone with you, but you will need the majority.

What people don’t know they will make up. Be transparent and authentic, and communicate, communicate, communicate!

The importance of your leadership

Aligning your thinking with the change proposal

Consider your people and the impact on them

Consider your leadership behaviours

Fast facts - transition management

Resources