Leading a Change Initiative
One of my CEO leadership coaching clients needs to inspire urgency in her employees to embrace their strategic change initiatives. I am consulting with the company leadership team to transform the culture of the company to become more change resilient and innovative.
The CEO knows that sustainable growth will only occur when employees own the change effort and are fully engaged in executing the company strategy. She is empowering her leadership team to become better problem solvers. Leadership team members are collaborating with the CEO in decision-making. Our current coaching work focuses on helping the CEO motivate her employees to overcome complacency and develop a heightened sense of urgency.
Communicate for Urgency
Communications are critical to creating engagement and building a true sense of urgency. To that end, here are four steps for creating buy-in, courtesy of John Baldoni (Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders).
1. Inform. Explain the situation in general and specific terms. Generality provides context; specifics provide expectations. For example, make the case for your initiative, ask people to support it and tell them why it’s necessary.
2. Involve. Once people understand the facts and what’s expected of them, they will decide whether to participate. Critical to gaining commitment is communicating "what's in it for me?" (WIFM). You must make the specifics clear and demonstrate what people will gain by supporting your initiatives.
3. Invite. Once people understand what’s expected of them, ask for their support. Never assume people will follow you until you ask them to do so. Be specific and persistent: "Can I count on your support for this initiative?"
4. Ignite. This final step is not always possible, but it separates the ordinary from the extraordinary. You must try to take individuals’ commitment and transform it into a collective willingness to work toward a cause greater than themselves. Excite their imaginations by talking about what will happen when your initiative is a success.
One further point: Never assume that you can stop communicating after your people buy into the process and understand the WIFM. Use a combination of rhetoric and storytelling to make your followers feel that they are vital to the cause.
This is the challenge that faces any leader who attempts to push through a significant change initiative. Make people feel as though they have an important role to play. They must embrace the idea that their participation matters.
Are you working in a company or law firm where company leaders and employees are mobilized with a sense of urgency to ensure business success? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching and leadership development to help leaders at all levels overcome complacency and fully engage in the company change efforts? Company leaders need to create a compelling sense of urgency to help all employees become more change resilient.
One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “How do company leaders best communicate a sense of urgency?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders who lead change and culture transformation initiatives.
Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organization that fully engages its people in transformational change efforts by overcoming complacency and creating a culture that embraces sustainable change. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.
I am currently accepting new executive coaching, career coaching, and leadership consulting clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to mbrusman@workingresources.com.
Comments