Change Management Strategies For Boosting Team Performance

Rebuilding a High-Performing Team in an RTO World: A Client’s Success Story When my executive client was tasked with bringing his 650-person department back to the office after four years of remote work, we knew the challenge wasn’t just logistical—it was strategic - and his concern wasn’t just about getting people back to their desks but ensuring he had the right people in the right roles to drive business success. Through our collaboration, we decided to develop a two-phase approach that allowed him to manage change effectively while restructuring his team for optimal performance. Phase 1: Managing the Change of RTO (Months 1-3) Rather than rushing into assessments and restructuring, we agreed that it was best to focus on re-acclimation first. 🔹 Gradual Reintegration: He implemented a structured return—starting with three days in-office before scaling up—giving employees time to adjust. 🔹 Listening Sessions: My client led discussions with teams to understand concerns, workflows, and career aspirations post-remote. 🔹 Cultural Reset: He modeled the company values, reinforced the why behind RTO, and reinforced the culture in every meeting. Phase 2: Assessing & Restructuring the Team (Months 3-6) Once stability was established, the next step was restructuring the team for the future. 🔹 Skills & Contribution Audit: Partnering with HR and others, my client assessed whether each role still aligned with business needs. He found that some functions were now redundant, while others required a new skill set after four years. 🔹 Team Effectiveness Review: He restructured teams to improve efficiency and positioned high performers in roles that leveraged their strengths. 🔹 Strategic Reassignment & Exits: Some employees transitioned into new, more fitting roles. Others, who struggled to adapt or no longer aligned with the business, were respectfully transitioned out. Still others were supported in their current roles with new training to equip them to succeed in the future. Messaging the Changes: Transparency & Stability 🔹 Communicating the Vision: Early on, we knew framing the restructuring as an opportunity was important. 🔹 One-on-One Conversations: My client ensured employees moving into new roles—or out of the company—had clear, respectful conversations about their next steps. 🔹 Rebuilding Trust: By reinforcing that changes were intentional and strategic, employees recognized the thoughtfulness that had been invested in the changes. The Outcome? He's rounding out his six month and says his department is performing at a higher level than pre-pandemic. It's not been easy and there have been a few surprises, but he knows his team is set up for long-term success. What my client learned was that returning to the office wasn't the real challenge - rebuilding the right team was. If you’re navigating RTO and need to reassess your team for long-term success, let’s connect.👇

Most teams fail because they try changing everything at once. High-impact teams win building one habit at a time. Think about your best team experience.  • Where everything (and everyone) just clicked.  • Where problems got solved before they became crises.  • Where everyone knew their role and what was expected. That wasn't occasional luck.  That was consistent habits. Here's what most leaders get wrong about team performance: They focus on big initiatives and quarterly goals.  Meanwhile, 45% of what your team does every day is automatic. The math is simple:  Change the habits → Change the results Keep the habits → Compound the results 7 habits that separate high-impact teams from everyone else: 🎯 Habit 1: Start with Outcomes  • Begin every project by defining success  • Ask "What does done look like?"  • Prevent scope creep before it starts 🔄 Habit 2: After Action Reviews  • Spend 10 minutes after every project  • What worked? What didn't? What's next?  • Turn mistakes into learning ⚡ Habit 3: Deep-Work Scheduling  • Stop fighting your team's natural rhythms • Match hard work to peak energy times  • Protect focus blocks religiously 🎪 Habit 4: Over Communication  • Confirm understanding before moving forward  • Use "Here's what I heard..." to summarize  • Replace assumptions with explicit 💬 Habit 5: Radical Transparency  • Say what everyone's thinking  • Address problems directly  • Make honesty the default 🚀 Habit 6: Bias Toward Action  • Default to trying vs. discussing  • Set 24-hour decision deadlines  • Move fast, learn faster 📊 Habit 7: Weekly Loom Wrap-Ups  • Record 3-minute video updates  • Show emotion and build connection  • Scale personal communication The pattern is clear:  Small habits compound into massive results. • Bridgewater practices Radical Transparency. • Navy SEALs use After Action Reviews.  • Amazon mandates 6-page memos. They don't rely on motivation.  They rely on systems that support high-impact habits. Your team's breakthrough isn't hiding in the next big strategy.  It's hiding in the small change you start this week. 📌 Subscribe to my free newsletter: https://mgmt.beehiiv.com 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more insights on high-impact teams ♻️ Share this to help more teams build winning habits 

I was excited to see McKinsey & Company share research about teams that is very much in line with the work we are doing. Team-focused transformations can lead to 30% efficiency gains in organizations that implement these strategies effectively. The tough part? Not all teams are created equal, so this approach is a bit more complex. Here are four actions leaders can take to build a network of effective teams, based on case studies of organizations. One: Identify the Highest Value Teams Start transformation by identifying high-value teams. Select teams aligned with the organization’s purpose. Empower teams through guided journeys and support from facilitators. Begin with a core group, then add teams in waves. The result: cultural shifts, improved agility, and measurable results. Two: Activate the Teams Give teams clear goals and decision-making power. Cut bureaucracy and empowered teams. Teams focused on high-value work and involved key stakeholders. The result: faster decisions, better collaboration, and continuous improvement. Three: Lift the Leaders to Support Their Teams Traditional leadership skills must evolve to inspire purpose and remove obstacles. Leaders act as connectors, share successes, and address challenges. A growth mindset helps leaders navigate new ways of working. The result: empowered teams, faster decision-making, stronger collaboration, and a scalable transformation driven by purpose-led leadership. Four: Scale this Approach to More and More Teams Share success stories to inspire enthusiasm and highlight the benefits of the transformation. Measure impact with tools like team barometers, tracking alignment, mood, trust, and teamwork levels. Scale transformation by moving from prioritized teams to a broader group of value-creating teams. The result: scalable transformation driven by a network of change agents. The result of all of these steps: significant performance improvements.