While change is an everyday reality, managing it still presents many challenges. Change Managers often find themselves juggling multiple demands, and navigating complex stakeholder views and requirements. So, what do they wish business leaders understood about their vital role? This post shines a light on the insights of Change Managers and offers practical advice for leaders steering change initiatives.
Understanding the Role of a Change Manager
Change Managers are essential for making sure organisational changes occur smoothly and effectively. They act as the bridge between leaders and employees, delivery teams and decision-makers, stakeholders and impacted groups; facilitating communication, training, and support during transitions.
A key insight for business leaders to understand is that the Change Manager does not 'own' the change, and isn't responsible for it's definition nor outcomes.... So who then? Dear Business Leader, that's you.
That being the case, business leaders may underestimate the importance of Change Managers' efforts and the strategies they employ. Change Managers are not just project managers or trainers, or even copywriters; they are strategists and communicators who understand human behaviour and the dynamics of organisations. Without proper understanding of the change management role, the change is already off to a rocky start.
In the Agencia Change Challenges and Priorities rolling survey, 77% of respondents report that their role's most pressing issues included managing competing priorities and dealing with a misunderstanding of leading versus managing change. Read more on the distinction between change leadership and change management in Change Management: the clue is in the name.
Communication is Key
Business leaders often believe that once they have a plan, everything will fall into place without extensive communication. This can result in misunderstandings and resistance among employees.
Effective communication goes beyond sending an announcement. It involves ongoing dialogue and active listening between the leader and the team. Employees want to hear from their business leaders - not their change managers. Change managers support business leaders in their communications, ensuring that messages resonate with every employee.
Getting communication right is low-hanging fruit. Effective communication practices see much higher employee engagement levels. Through a detailed assessment of change impacts, your Change Manager will develop timely and effective messaging to feed into the most appropriate and effective communication channels.
Business leaders should prioritise clear communication and promote a culture of openness where employees feel comfortable expressing their concerns and asking questions. Business leaders who seek to delegate their communication responsibilities are missing out on the opportunity to engage with the team, understand their needs and concerns and directly influence more positive outcomes.
The Importance of Employee Buy-In
Resistance to change is a common obstacle. Change Managers recognise that securing employee buy-in is essential for successful implementation.
When employees feel included in the change process and see how it aligns with their roles and the organisation's goals, they are more likely to adopt the changes.
Leaders can facilitate this by involving employees early on. For instance, gathering input on changes, encouraging participation in decision-making, and sharing the vision can help foster a sense of ownership among team members. Leaders that engage employees in the process will see a significant reduction in resistance.
The common theme here is that leaders should not seek to delegate their championing of change. Every Change Manager wishes business leaders knew that true leadership demands personal ownership of the change process. While effective teams and strong execution are vital, the leader's role as the primary advocate for change is irreplaceable. By personally championing the cause, leaders demonstrate their commitment, build trust, and ensure that the organisation remains focused on achieving the desired outcomes.
Training: Not Just a Box to Tick
Often, training is seen as a logistical step—a necessary evil to ensure employees can handle new systems or processes. However, Change Managers wish business leaders understood that training involves more than just ticking a checkbox.
Effective training equips employees with new skills and instills confidence to apply those skills daily. Not every change requires training, and some changes require a lot more than the organisation wishes to invest in. Organisations that get their training investment right cut the time it takes for employees to adopt solutions.
The Willingness Test
A simple test for whether or not business leaders should invest in training programs is this: are you willing to insist on people taking time out of work to attend the training?
If so, carry on. Your strong and vocal support of the training program will pay dividends on any time the team spends out of business operations.
If, on the other hand, you find yourself unwilling to support and reinforce the benefits of attending training, then you are in danger of undermining both your change manager and the realisation of benefits in the change they're managing on your behalf.
By allocating time and resources toward the training initiatives recommended by change managers, business leaders can ensure a smoother transition overall.
Recognising the Human Element of Change
Change affects not only the operation of the organisation, but also the people in the organisation. Change Managers are aware of the emotional responses that arise during transitions.
Fear and uncertainty are natural reactions during periods of change. Business leaders need to recognise that changes can disrupt routines and career plans, leading to anxiety among staff.
Creating an empathetic environment and providing support can help alleviate concerns. Leaders should demonstrate commitment to the well-being of their teams throughout the change process.
Your Change Manager wishes you knew that employers have a positive duty obligation to protect the well-being of employees. This is not to say that business leaders can't insist on workplace change. Rather that together with your Change Manager, leaders can ensure change is handled methodically, professionally and empathetically. Change Management protects the well-being of the team, while at the same time enabling a duty of care to employees.
Metrics Matter: Measuring Success
Change Managers often find that the importance of measuring the success of change initiatives is overlooked.
Leaders tend to focus primarily on the implementation phase but often neglect to evaluate the impact afterward. Leaders can also shy away from metrics that track the completion of their commitments to the various change activities. Establishing clear success metrics—such as employee engagement, productivity rates, and satisfaction levels—can provide valuable insights into a change’s effectiveness.
Change Managers advise leaders to conduct regular reviews to assess progress and make necessary adjustments. This approach, which emphasises continuous improvement, not only boosts the effectiveness of current initiatives but also informs future change efforts.
Building a Change-Ready Culture
Leaders play a critical role in shaping their organisation’s culture. Change Managers see a significant need for business leaders to foster a change-ready culture where adaptability and resilience are valued.
Encouraging an attitude that embraces change creates an environment where employees feel prepared to handle transitions. Leaders can model this behaviour by exhibiting a positive attitude toward change, sharing stories of past successes, and celebrating milestones. Such initiatives contribute to a culture that thrives on change.
What Every Change Manager Wishes Business Leaders Knew
While Change Managers often work behind the scenes, their insights are crucial for successful change initiatives. By understanding the importance of communication, employee buy-in, comprehensive training, the human aspect of change, effective metrics, and cultural readiness, business leaders can amplify the effectiveness of the change management effort.
In turn, when leaders understand the critical need for them to own, commit to and drive the change, they can lead their organisations through transitions more effectively.
Acknowledging what your Change Managers wish you knew strengthens your leadership and empowers your workforce. Together, change management and change leadership combine to overcome the complexities of change and ensure organisations achieve the benefits they invested in at the start of the journey.
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