A good leader of change will be attuned to how their team is responding to change, and be considering how the change effects their people not just professionally but how as an individual it may have an impact. After all, we all respond to different changes in different ways. At times when leading change you may be surprised at the response individuals have in response to change. This is why it is critical to consider the entire individual when leading change.

There isn't a requirement for your team members to leave their personal lives at the door when they come to work.In fact that is becoming more and more impossible during these COVID times when we don't even leave our homes to go to work.

There has been no more important time than now for leaders to engage on a humane and empathetic level to get the most out of their staff. An employee will display more loyalty and work harder for Managers who care about them as a whole person acknowledging that each team member has...

Welcome to 2022, a year which will there will be continued uncertainty in our lives, however organisations now need to start providing workers with stability in somewhat unstable times. Heading into the Christmas break in 2021 there was a sense of hope however Omnicron and case numbers have placed everyone back into uncertainty and for many, self isolation.

The 'great resignation' is being toted as a challenge, where workers may choose to jump ship if flexibility isn't highly valued and they are seeking new challenges. 

So what should you focus on in 2022? 

Following are a number of areas for leaders and organisations to focus on in 2022:

1) Be clear about the new way of working: for many workplaces, especially in corporate workplaces it seems that 'blended' working arrangements will be the new norm, with a mix of work from home days as well as being in the office. For workplaces where that isn't being actively committed to by now, the uncertainty may lead to...

There is a often debate whether change fatigue is a reality or myth.  When change is not effectively managed or led well, change fatigue most certainly ensues. There are signs that a good leader keeps an eye out for when it comes to the impact on change to their team. 

Following are some of the key indicators a good Change leader picks up on:

1) Illness is on the rise: sick leave or general illness of team members and employees in the business is one sign of change fatigue. During the winter seasons, this can be blamed on bugs or flu's, however when a good change leader recognises the link between change and poor health. When individuals are under stress their immune systems suffer leaving them susceptible to catching and spreading these bugs. This doesn't necessarily mean team members will be taking more days off. A good leader notes who may not be coping well with change through physical indicators. Back issues and things such as migraines are other physical...

What makes the difference between a successful and unsuccessful change approach? Engagement.

Just like in relationships - you learn there is a big difference between dating someone and being engaged. Engagement has commitment and a clear intent.

An ineffective change manager or leader will approach change like dating. Spend a little time with their stakeholders, and even if it was a memorable moment, don't follow through or create that genuine relationship. It's superficial with some brief communication before and after. There might be questions asked but it's patchy as to whether there are answers provided. A successful change strategy contains more than that. It enrols leaders, stakeholders and impacted audiences through impactful interventions.

So how do you create powerful engaging dialogue with those who are affected by the Change?

• Involve the customer of the change in the design of the solution. Such an easy concept and yet it still isn't followed. With many...

Leaders require particular organisation structures and enablers to be in place to be able to effectively lead change.

Let's explore these enablers:

1) Clear and engaging communication channels: Communication channels and methods need to be clear and functional. Even in large organisations I have witnessed death by email and written word. A picture is worth a thousand words - after all who has time to read more than a paragraph unless its well formed and engaging?  From strategic messaging to operational messaging, all employee groups should be clear in knowing which channel to go to for certain information.  Information that the individual leader can reinforce and link into. Change leaders need communication channels and methods that achieve cut through. This allows leaders to leverage the messages and allows them to create their own notes on how the change impacts the individuals in their team.

2) Departmental role clarity: When joining an organisation, one of the...

I have in my phone the Gandhi saying: 

'First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.'

I look at it every now and then, to generate that fire in my belly when I lead or support a major transformation program. If you are a Change leader - take heed. You need an appetite and a resilience to lead a big change. You need to believe in it more than anyone else. As when others try to bring you down, when others fight you, you need to keep holding the future vision you have and keep on keeping on. For me, my primary motivation is when the transformation is needed to have the organisation perform better. If I feel the transformation is the right thing to do for customers or for staff (hopefully for both) then nothing can stop me.

This seems very relevant this week. With the protests across the globe after the death of George Floyd. And globally this is an issue - even in Australia. It is important to take a stand and say loudly that racial...

Earlier this year I wrote about managing change in times of crisis in reference to the Australian bushfires. I certainly did not think that just a couple of months later that I would be writing about a global pandemic and the level of change that leaders would need to manage in times such as these. 

These are times that very few in the world have lived through before. Ironically the elderly who are most at risk are the one's who could have lived through similar illness that spread throughout the world in the early 1900's. However in this connected world which has the internet and international travel at the drop of a hat, the circumstances and challenges are VERY different.

So how has your organisation and leadership team responded to these times of continual change? How long did it take for your leaders to be clear on their messaging and make decisions about which path to take - business first or safety first?

How some organisations have responded...

With creativity: there...

Waiting to be invited is a sign of Respect

I was once told a story about the what a 'Welcome to Country' means to the traditional owners of Australia, our First Nations people. That when travelling the lands of Australia they would wait on the border of the other tribes lands and light a fire so that the smoke would raise into the air and signal their presence. They would then wait until someone from the neighbouring tribe would arrive and welcome them onto their country. What a profound sign of respect. 

This story had many layers of lessons for me. One lesson, is that it is far more powerful to respectfully wait and be invited, rather than barge in or 'force' any change. Now that's not to say that in my career in the early days I didn't drive a lot of change. I certainly like progress and have a knack for driving action. However as the years of lessons have built up, I have certainly changed my approach and have learned patience. 

Pace in line with business...

Happy new year and welcome to 2020. It certainly has been challenging in Australia with the worst bush fires across the country in living memory. It certainly has been a time of crisis. I hope going forward the impact of climate change, which has been incredulously denied by certain political parties will now be discussed with solution brokers coming to the table.

Crisis as a catalyst

Unfortunately sometimes it takes a crisis for change to be embraced. When the pain gets so much that something has to shift. This is very relatable when it comes to introducing change management into an organisation. Financial results (or lack thereof) become untenable for the leadership team. Projects don't deliver well, funding is cut or staff engagement results are at their lowest. All reasons for Change leadership and management to be embraced.

Leadership in times like these 

During this bush fire crisis, there have been some observations about leadership, where certain expectations on some...

When planning change interventions it is key to understand the boarder seasonal and community context in which you are delivering the change. Whenever planning activities on your change calendar there are a range of key dates to block out:

• Seasonal holidays (Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Bank holidays)
• Key holidays periods for carers: school breaks (where staff may be taking leave)
• In addition to this there may be holidays relevant to the communities that you serve. Community events and special holidays.
• Peak times for organisation activities: Renewal times for policies, regular sales events where staff are otherwise pre-occupied.

Timing the change interventions when they are most effective is critical. During the times which aren't optimal activity should be kept to a minimum if they are unable to be actually rescheduled another time.  If you are unsure of the organisations activities to be able to identify these peak periods it is best to ask and map them...