7 things leaders do to help people change
Ever since I started shifting my career from individual counseling and therapy to I/O psychology consultancy, I have been fascinated with the discipline of Organizational Development and Change i.e a planed change in contrast to managing change.
In an HBR article by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman that was published on July 20, 2015 I read 7 of the best practices to lead change that I thought are worth sharing.
The authors of this article, after reviewing 2,852 direct reports of 559 leaders and their effectiveness to create change, articulate 7 behaviors to manage or create change in the organization. For starters, to my amazement, 2 behaviors don’t work i.e. being the nice guy and giving constant advice, request or suggestions.
The 7 behaviors of leaders of a successful change that work are:
1) Inspiring others instead of pulling or pushing them by setting an aspirational goal, exploring alternative ways to reach an objective, seeking other’s ideas for the best methods and making the link between their goals and the change you’re proposing.
2) Anticipating problems before they occur by noticing potentially disastrous patterns of behavior such as “managing” crisis instead of avoiding them.
3) Setting clear goals and communicating the purpose of the change initiative clearly.
4) Challenging standard approach and be innovative. Successful change leaders create their own style to change.
5) Building trust in their judgement as their decisions for the company is often a fruit of councils and a careful process that has been proven successful in the past.
6) Having the courage to step out of the comfort zone and be creative, innovative and the first in a venture.
7) Making the change a priority, don’t brush it under the rug, instead take steps actively and every day towards the goal.
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