Leading Change

 

One of the most important components of leading change is providing inspiration and vision for employees. Other factors include creativity, improvisation and the processes for changing organizational culture as a requirement to successful change.

 

Vision and Inspiration

“You have to share the vision you want to accomplish and get everybody on board and enthusiastic about it. When you can get them to march in the same direction you can really move mountains.”

 

Providing a vision and inspiring followers are the most important functions of leaders during change. A clear vision provides followers with reasons for change. It further supports the actual change process by helping followers keep the goal in mind and helps them stay focused during refreezing.

 

Several themes emerge in the visionary leadership essential to change:

• Importance of vision. Successful and effective leaders provide a clear vision or help followers develop a common vision. Whether developed by the leader alone or with engagement with followers, vision is key to effectively leading change.

• Empowerment and confidence in followers. Visionary leaders empower followers to allow them to act autonomously and independently from the leader. This empowerment engages followers in the change, reducing resistance.

• Flexibility and change. The fast-changing environment requires leaders to develop and encourage flexibility and openness to change in their organizations.

• Teamwork and cooperation. Successful leaders emphasize teamwork and, maybe more important, the development of shared responsibility as well as the need for trust and cooperation between leaders and followers and among followers.

 

Similar to the ideas proposed by charismatic, transformational, value-based, and spiritual leadership, the leader’s vision is vital to creating change. A motivating vision is clear and understandable, challenging, idealistic yet achievable; it appeals to emotions and is forward looking.

Having a forward-looking vision is essential for transforming organizations and enacting large-scale change.

 

As according to Kouzes and Posner, to truly motivate and inspire followers, the leader must do the following:

• Set clear standards for behavior and performance that are accepted by all followers

• Expect the best from followers through a genuine belief in their abilities. this strong belief creates a self-fulfilling prophecy in followers, who will, in turn, perform better.

• Pay attention by being present, walking around, noticing followers and caring about their behaviors, actions and results.

• Personalize recognition not only by considering each follower’s needs and preferences but also by making them feel special in the process

• Tell a story about followers, events and performances as a way to motivate and teach

• Celebrate together. Leaders must look for many opportunities to celebrate the team and the individual’s success together