CATEGORIES: LEADING PEOPLE

Key Lessons in Leading Change

Change is a constant in the world of business. Most organizations, however, lack the tools to navigate change successfully. Learning from the experiences of those who have struggled can provide valuable insights for leaders and employees alike. In this post, I outline six common mistakes and the key lessons we can learn from each.

Key Lessons in Leading Change

MISTAKE #1: Failing to Adapt

In today’s fast-paced environment, adaptability is key to survival. However, some organizations cling to outdated practices or resist embracing new ways of working, jeopardizing their relevance and market competitiveness.

One organization I worked with decided to implement a return-to-office (RTO) policy, requiring employees who had been working remotely for the three years following the pandemic to return to the office for at least four days a week. However, an engagement survey conducted shortly after the policy was rolled out revealed significant declines in key areas such as employee well-being, leadership responsiveness, communication transparency, and overall effectiveness of change management. Employees overwhelmingly indicated that flexible work options, such as remote or hybrid work, were critical to their well-being. While RTO may be necessary for some roles, this organization’s failure to adapt to the evolving work environment and employee expectations in a post-Covid world led to frustration and disengagement.

The most successful companies recognize the need to adapt and actively involve employees in identifying needed changes. For example, some organizations use continuous listening or “always on” strategies to solicit innovative ideas from employees. Suggestions range from how to make processes more efficient or effective, better serve customers, reduce operational expenses, or generate new revenue streams. Healthcare organizations specifically have incorporated occurrence reporting processes for employees to share patient safety concerns or events, allowing organizations to learn from mistakes (and improve systems to prevent similar situations from happening in the future) and proactively identify opportunities for improvement.

Lessons Learned: Organizations can thrive in the face of change by cultivating a culture that values adaptability and agility. Embrace a growth mindset and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Encourage experimentation, celebrate successes, and learn from failures.

MISTAKE #2: Underestimating Resistance

Another common pitfall is underestimating the level of resistance to change within the organization. Whether it’s due to fear of the unknown or concerns about job security, resistance can manifest in various forms, hindering progress. Organizations that fail to address resistance early on find themselves facing greater obstacles down the road.

Resistance to change should be expected. In Flawless Consulting1 Peter Block notes, “The key to understanding the nature of resistance is to realize that it is a reaction to an emotional process taking place within the other person. It is not a reflection of the conversation that we are having on an objective, logical, rational level…(resistance) is not only predictable and natural; it is a necessary part of the learning process.”

Lessons Learned: Expect, acknowledge, and address resistance from the outset. Encourage open and honest communication, listen to employees’ concerns, and involve them in the change process to foster buy-in.

MISTAKE #3: Lack of Clear Communication

Effective communication is paramount during times of change. Yet, some organizations fail to clearly communicate the change’s rationale, impact, and desired outcomes. This ambiguity can lead to confusion, rumors, and mistrust among employees.

For example, one K-12 school district I worked with tried to develop its own formative assessments to demonstrate proficiencies across core content areas. The problem was that educators couldn’t agree on what should be assessed or how. And there was little communication about what the end goal should look like. The initiative grew stale and was eventually abandoned.

In contrast, one banking client found that employees wanted leaders to ensure that current processes support change and sought input from those affected by the change prior to (and after) implementation. When they designed processes to address these employee concerns, including executive listening tours at each branch location and initiating a study aimed to improve process efficiency and effectiveness for functional teams, perceptions of the survey item “This company is effectively managing change.” improved significantly by +14 points from the prior year!

There was also significant improvement across the lowest-scoring survey items in just one year’s time:

  • People in our company support one another and collaborate across the organization to meet our goals (+16 points).
  • Communication from our Executive Team is consistent and transparent (+14 points).
  • I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things (+14 points).
  • I have input in making decisions that affect my work (+13 points).

Lessons Learned: Organizations can thrive in the face of change by cultivating a culture that values adaptability and agility. Embrace a growth mindset and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Encourage experimentation, celebrate successes, and learn from failures.

MISTAKE #4: Neglecting to Involve Employees

Change initiatives that neglect to involve employees throughout the process often encounter roadblocks. Employees who feel sidelined or undervalued are less likely to embrace change wholeheartedly, impeding its success.

Frontline employees have the deepest understanding of systems, processes, and workflows, making their insights crucial for assessing the potential impact of changes. They are often the first to recognize challenges and may already have ideas for solutions. While leaders may propose strategies that seem logical, employees can provide valuable feedback on what will or won’t work.

One inpatient hospital unit found that the oxygen tubing was not long enough to reach the patient. A small plastic connector had to be placed on two tubes to ensure appropriate length, which was inconvenient for clinicians. On top of that, patients developed skin irritation behind their ears from the tubing. Clinicians shared this issue with the Quality team, leading to a product review. The review revealed a better, more comfortable tubing option from the same supplier, which also reduced costs. The new tubing was standardized across the hospital system, creating more purchasing power through bulk orders. This improvement happened because clinicians were asked for feedback on how to improve their work environment.

Another healthcare system leveraged employee participation when implementing a new electronic medical record system. Expertise from frontline employees was incorporated into existing workflows to improve system functionality. Training was also available across key job functions in a playground testing environment prior to going live. These employees then became champions in advocating for the update once it was rolled out to the broader organization.

Lessons Learned: Foster a culture of inclusion and empowerment. Involve employees in decision-making, seek their input, and recognize their contributions. By actively engaging employees, organizations can tap into their collective wisdom and foster positive change.

MISTAKE #5: Withdrawing from View

Failing to be visibly present during periods of change can create a disconnect between leadership and employees, undermine trust, and leave teams feeling uncertain and unsupported. Taking a more passive role in the change management process might look like staying out of the loop and avoiding addressing employee concerns, over-relying on written communication or announcements, or retreating from employee interactions so that teams are left to handle challenges on their own.

I’ve seen leadership visibility done well through informal conversations with executive leaders (e.g., Coffee Chats), participation in Town Halls, All-Staff or department meetings, and even job shadowing.

A healthcare CEO I worked with prioritized quarterly shadowing sessions with employees. He would periodically choose a department and spend time serving food in the cafeteria at lunchtime, changing lightbulbs and repairing walls with the facilities team, rounding with physicians during the night shift, and even putting on scrubs to observe a procedure in the operating room. This is a great example of what the Lean methodology calls “Gemba” (going to where the work gets done). His only agenda was to meet employees and observe the work. His visibility made employees feel seen and valued, and, over time, they began to share more openly about work challenges or issues that would help improve their work environment.

Lessons Learned: Leaders who are absent, disengaged, or hard to reach during times of change risk undermining their own efforts and alienating the very people they need to lead. Be present, communicate with teams directly, proactively model desired behaviors, reinforce the vision and the “why” behind the change, and encourage employee participation. Being actively involved not only helps build trust but also ensures that the change process remains transparent, collaborative, and aligned with the needs of the organization.

MISTAKE #6: Insufficient Resources and Support

Implementing change requires adequate resources, including time, budget, staffing, and expertise. Organizations that fail to allocate sufficient resources or provide adequate support to employees find themselves struggling to execute change effectively.

For example, one client undergoing a significant merger heard employees linking the high volume of change to feelings of burnout in open-ended survey comments.

Lessons Learned: Invest in resources and support systems. Prioritize budgetary allocations, provide training and development opportunities, and offer coaching and mentorship to help employees navigate change successfully. Help employees manage their workload, re-prioritize current projects during the transition, and provide training needed to support new systems. Leaders who can provide resources and support during change implementation send a strong message that they care about the personal well-being of their teams.

Change is not without its challenges. In Leading Change2 John Kotter estimates that up to 70% of change initiatives in organizations fail. Change can also be a source of opportunity and growth for organizations willing to embrace it. By learning from the missteps of others, we can better navigate the complexities of change and ensure that changes stick rather than becoming the next flavor of the month. We can use the positive momentum and emerge with stronger and more successful teams, leaders, and organizations.

Resources

  1. Block, P. (2011). Flawless Consulting: A guide to getting your expertise used. Jossey-Bass.
  2. Kotter, J. (2012). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Author picture

Crystal Robertson
Senior Consultant

Crystal spent most of her professional career working in quality and process improvement in the healthcare industry. As a certified Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt, she has been involved in large enterprise-wide organizational change initiatives as well as local improvement efforts in the hospital and outpatient clinic settings. She has a unique perspective as an ICF-accredited professional coach to have a window into how change impacts individuals at work and at home. Connect with Crystal on LinkedIn.