Role Of Leadership In Change Management For Performance

One of the most overlooked strategies in change leadership? 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩. Top-down vision is powerful. But real traction comes when people at every level feel like:  ✓ They 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 to the change.  ✕ Not just 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 it. In my work, I help organizations activate leadership at every layer— From executive sponsorship to grassroots champions. Here are my top tips how leaders can make people feel change belongs 𝘵𝘰 them: ✅ Understand the “why” behind the change ✅ See their role in shaping what comes next ✅ Get the tools and coaching they need to lead with confidence ✅ Have safe spaces to voice concerns, share ideas, and influence outcomes ✅ Build peer networks that support accountability and momentum Change is messy. Emotional. Personal. And when people feel seen, heard, and included, they don’t resist it. They 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯 it. That’s how you turn a change 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 into a change 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 A leader’s foundational responsibility is to create an environment where employees have Alignment, Clarity, and Trust (ACT). I developed the ACT Leadership Model to act as a guide for how leaders establish a healthy, high-performance environment. Below are the key components of the ACT Leadership Model.   𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝟭) 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆'𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 - When team members do not see a direct alignment between their goals and the organization's priorities, it becomes difficult to find meaning in their work. 𝟮) 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 - Leaders are responsible for ensuring their teams have the right capabilities and structure to achieve strategic goals. 𝟯) 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 - Clarity and synergy of team members' roles, responsibilities and tasks are needed to accomplish goals effectively. 𝟰) 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀 - Regular feedback from employees, stakeholders and partners enables the teams to adjust appropriately for ongoing success. 𝟱) 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 - A simple scorecard should communicate how the team is progressing toward strategic goals and, if off-track, problem-solve issues.   𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝟭) 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 - Fundamental reason for the team; why we're here. 𝟮) 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 - Common goals are what makes the team a team. Without uniting goals, any team development will have a limited impact. 𝟯) 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 - Teams must develop the capacity to continually assess and reset their priorities to meet new challenges and remain on track for success. 𝟰) 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 - Clear individual goals help team members focus and prioritize their efforts and time. 𝟱) 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 - Employees must understand their highest-level priorities and make necessary adjustments as needed.    𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝟭) 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 - Before employees can feel psychologically safe and engaged, they must believe their leader cares about their professional well-being and success. 𝟮) 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 - Nothing is more disparaging for employees than having a leader or colleague who demonstrates behaviors that do not align with the organizational values, and no one seems to care. 𝟯) 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 - Healthy accountability focuses on learning, adaptation, and growth when team members fall short of expectations or goals. 𝟰) 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 - Leaders who do not address a high-performer’s bad behaviors demonstrate to the team that results are more important than their values and ethics. 𝟱) 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 - Teams must dedicate time to establish an environment and behaviors that enable healthy relationships. What is one thing you can do to better provide those you lead with Alignment, Clarity and Trust? Share your COMMENTS below. ⬇️

Harsh truth: No matter where you sit in an organization, if you can't connect what you do...your value at the organization is limited. Here’s what leaders need to know about transformation: 1. Empathize with Your Team's Current State • Take the time to genuinely understand the challenges, fears, and aspirations of your team members • Put yourself in their shoes and consider how their current circumstances are impacting their motivation and performance • Acknowledge their struggles and demonstrate that you've been there too, building trust and rapport 2. Define a Clear and Compelling Destination • Articulate a vivid vision of where you want to lead your team or organization • Paint a picture of the future state that is both ambitious and achievable, inspiring your team to stretch beyond their comfort zone • Communicate this destination consistently and passionately, rallying your team around a shared purpose 3. Break Down the Journey into Manageable Steps • Deconstruct the transformation process into specific, actionable milestones • Identify the critical skills, resources, and mindset shifts required at each stage of the journey • Celebrate progress along the way, recognizing the efforts and achievements of your team as they move closer to the destination 4. Empower Every Team Member to Be a Change Agent • Emphasize that transformation is not just the responsibility of leadership, but of every individual in the organization • Encourage team members to identify opportunities for improvement within their own roles and spheres of influence • Provide the tools, training, and autonomy necessary for team members to drive change at all levels 5. Accelerate the Speed of Transformation • Recognize that in today's fast-paced business environment, the speed of transformation is a critical competitive advantage • Foster a culture of experimentation and iteration, encouraging your team to rapidly test and refine new ideas • Streamline decision-making processes and remove bureaucratic barriers that slow down progress Remember, transformation is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process of growth and adaptation. As a leader, your role is to create an environment where transformation can thrive, and to inspire your team to embrace the challenges and opportunities that come with change. Join the 12,000+ leaders who get our weekly email newsletter. https://lnkd.in/en9vxeNk

Most leaders fail during major transitions. Here’s how to avoid it. I once watched a leadership team crumble during a major restructuring. Top players quit. Execution stalled. The CEO froze. Most leaders fail in moments of transition: → New ownership → Restructures and pivots → Big hires and team shake-ups When uncertainty hits, people freeze, protect their turf, or quit. The best leaders? They speed up trust, remove friction, and keep execution on track. Bill Campbell, the legendary coach behind Apple and Google, taught top CEOs how to lead through uncertainty. His 1:1 leadership principles built some of the greatest teams in the world. But his true measure of leadership? "The Yardstick. Measure your own success by the success of others." The best leaders don’t focus on proving themselves. They focus on elevating the people around them. So what if we applied Bill Campbell’s 1:1 leadership principles to change management? Here’s how👇 How to Lead Through Change Using Bill Campbell’s 1:1 Principles: 1️⃣ Speed up trust or lose your best people In times of change, silence breeds fear. Meet 1:1 with key players immediately, ask: “What’s working?” “What’s broken?” If they don’t feel heard, they’ll start looking elsewhere. 2️⃣ Shift from proving to empowering Most new leaders overcontrol. And lose their best people. Instead of dictating, ask: “What’s one thing to double down on?” Give ownership, not orders. 3️⃣ Kill friction before it kills execution Change creates silos and bottlenecks. Fix it by forcing peer accountability: “What’s the biggest blocker from another team?” “How can we solve it together?” Great leaders don’t just run departments. They align execution. 4️⃣ Re-sell the vision every 2 weeks During transitions, people forget fast. Repeating the vision isn't redundant. It's leadership. Every 2 weeks, reinforce: “Where we’re going.” “Why this change matters.” “How each person contributes.” 5️⃣ Make innovation a daily habit Uncertainty breeds fear. And fear kills creativity. To keep teams proactive, ask: “What experiment should we run this month?” “If you had full control, what’s the first change?” Execution-first teams outlast uncertainty. ↓↓↓ Do this, and your team will execute through any change. What’s the hardest part of leading a transition? Drop your experience in the comments. ♻️ Repost so your team sees this. ➕ Follow for more leadership strategies.