Leading through change is the art of guiding a team in a period of uncertainty. This involves creating strong outcomes and ingraining transformation deep within the organisation. 

A leader might be the mediator between C-suite, who instigate transformation, and their team members, who have to adapt. In this case, it is the leader’s job to clearly outline why it is necessary, how it will impact each individual’s role and hold space for their questions and concerns. 

Having a strong leader at the helm can help alleviate pressure on the team, whether that is internal stressors or new circumstances that arise as a result of organisational change. Having someone with a clear vision and the skills to foster a collective drive to achieve it is paramount. 

Why is it important to lead through change?

Leading change is critical to the success of its implementation. Whether it is a cultural shift or a strategy adjustment, leaders need to be skilled at overcoming resistance, adapting to their environment and getting buy-in from their people in order for the transformation to be upheld by everyone.  

Navigating a transition without clear communication can lead to confusion and a reluctance to commit. This sort of friction can absorb the time, energy and resources that the rest of the business is investing in making adjustments in the first place.  

Adaptive leadership is vital in this process. If a team witness their leader demonstrating agility and adaptability in the face of adversity, they are reassured and inspired to adopt the same approach. This can be crucial to the result of the process.  

A strong leader knows that to overcome resistance, they need to leverage the most influential members of their team. By getting these people on-side, they can expand the delivery of their communication by disseminating it informally via their team members. This allows them to foster trust in the process and encourage more employees to adopt the new strategy.  

How do you effectively lead through change?

Using the five components of effective change leadership¹ – which are moral purpose, understanding, relationship building, knowledge creation & sharing and coherence making – a clear path towards the end goal is easily uncovered.  

The five components focus on employees having a deep understanding of why the transformation is needed, fostering positive relationships between people at all levels, which encourages greater knowledge sharing, and a shared drive towards a new goal.  

3 Key Leadership Skills

Three critical skills that leaders must have while overseeing any transition strategy are: 

1. Communication Skills 

Use clear, compelling language to deliver a vision of the future. Generate excitement for the change among your people. Define objectives, timelines and the impact the transition will have with as much detail as possible. Ensure they fully understand why it is necessary, what exactly is going to happen and when.  

2. Active listening 

Allow your people time and space to raise their questions and concerns. Meet them with empathy and transparency to maintain their trust in you, the organisation and the process they are about to go through. This means also acknowledging the hurdles that will naturally arise and the work involved in overcoming them.  

3. Adaptive Leadership 

Encouraging your people to adapt to new ideas and strategies is much more effective when you are visibly doing it, too. Consistent reinforcement of your belief in the transition and commitment to seeing it through will engage your team and secure their trust in the plan. 

Leadership is vital in periods of transition. People need to understand why transformation is needed, what the benefits will be and what work they will need to put in to achieve it before taking it on. A strong leader knows this is vital to the success of a transition, and therefore leans on excellent communication skills and adaptive leadership to guide their teams through the process. With the help of programmes like Alchemist’s Leadership Enablement, it’s possible for anyone to develop the key skills needed to adapt and thrive in times of uncertainty and lead change with confidence and agility.  

¹Leading In A Culture Of Change – Michael Fullan, 2001, Jossey Bass Wiley