If you’re a leader facing complex business challenges in your organization that require changes in the way people have always done things, here are 3 primary insights about change-capable leadership based on feedback received from almost 300 senior executives*:
Change yourself. Leading change successfully means spending time outside of your comfort zone. As the individual leading an initiative, you must change your mindset, actions and behaviors.
Don’t go it alone. Leading change is a team activity. People come together driven by a compelling and frequently communicated message about why things are changing.
Know the signs. Recognize the early warning signs that indicate an initiative is starting to derail.
Changing yourself means recognizing when your beliefs, approaches, and behaviors need to shift based on the effort you are leading. One of the frequently mentioned approaches shared by leaders of successful change was displaying a positive attitude and enthusiasm toward the change. These leaders were resilient, didn’t give up in the face of adversity or opposition, and stepped out of their comfort zone. They became role models to the rest of the organization with their ambition, efficiency and positive mindset. These leaders also devoted more time to the change effort and focused on the big picture rather than the day to-day needs. On the other hand, leaders of unsuccessful change didn’t adapt and instead expressed negativity and were impatient with a lack of results.
So how do you change yourself as a leader? My new book “Be The Change – Creating Growth Mindsets” is a practical book full of proven techniques to assist you to create and reinforce a Growth Mindset.
*Centre for Creative Leadership