Module 7: Embracing Change

Unit 7 Embracing Change

Leadership Brilliance Programme for ONS Leadership Team

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Table of Content

Unit 1

Introduction

Objectives

Welcome to this interactive resource on Embracing Change Module

Leading Change Unit will explore change curve model and stages of transition

Go here to see objectives for this interactive resource and explore what you will be learning

Unit 2

Unit 3

Key takeways

Resilient Leadership Unit will focus on resilience and the impact of stress on performance

Adaptability and Change Planning Unit will explore ways to improve adaptability at work and provide change planning tools

You will be presented with key takeways and next steps

Introduction

IN LIFE, CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. IN BUSINESS, CHANGE IS VITAL.

Warren G. Bennis, 1989

of change failures can be directly improved by the leader.

72%

Opex Learning , 2009

Objectives

01

Recognise the distinction between change and transition in an organisation and evaluate the importance of change

02

Describe the types of change and Identify the phases of transition

03

Develop greater team resilience and adaptability to experience change positively

04

Acquire tools to execute change effectively and remain change-ready to proactively manage challenges to enable future organisational growth

Unit 1: Leading Change

Unit 1

Leaders are -by definition- change makers. When you are called to lead, you are called to advance, move forward, and improve the situation.

Simon Sinek, 2014

Unit 1

Managing Change Effectively

Managing effective change is about people and behaviour. This video explains managing effective change with people in mind. Understanding people will help you manage change more effectively and understanding change will help keep your organisation moving in the right direction.

Unit 1

CHANGE

TRANSITION

Defining Change, Transition and Transformation

TRANSFORMATION

Unit 1

TRANSITION:

CHANGE:

TRANSFORMATION:

• is internal - the reorientation process in response to the change
• is a process that unfolds over time and goes through predictable phases
• affects us on the physical, emotional and psychological levels

• requires a shift in everyone's habits and behaviours with a positive view of the future,
• the change has evolved people, processes and results to a new form with no going back to the way things were

• is external - visible evidence of change
• is an event - moving from the way it was to the way it is now

• is a moment in time (happens quickly)
• results in something being noticeably different

Unit 1

Change and the Transition Curve

The Bridges Transition Model helps organizations and individuals understand and more effectively manage and work through the personal and human side of change. The model identifies the three stages an individual experiences during change: Ending What Currently Is, The Neutral Zone and The New Beginning.

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Image source: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bridges-transition-model-adapt-consulting-company-f2r7e

Unit 2: Resilient Leadership

Unit 2

Resilience is our ability to bounce back from life's challenges and unforeseen difficulties, providing mental protection from emotional and mental disorders.

Michael Rutter, 1985

Unit 2

Building Resilient Teams

Resilient leaders have the capacity to meet adversity, setbacks and the ability to sustain their energy level under pressure to cope with disruptive changes and adapt. They bounce back from setbacks. Resilience is a crucial characteristic of high-performing leaders. Leaders must cultivate it in themselves to advance and thrive. They also carry the responsibility for helping to protect the energy of the people in their teams.

Unit 2

Resilient Leadership

Leaders have a social and moral responsibility to consider the resilience of others. Leaders must become attuned to the people around them and learn to recognize when a colleague is under a lot of stress. Leaders should take an active role in promoting resilience and boosting energy in their teams

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Unit 2

Stress performance curve

The Stress Performance Curve is based on “The Yerkes Dodson Law” which states that our performance improves, as pressure (stress) increases. But only up to a point: 😐 Too little: we are bored, de-motivated 😁 Just right: we are high performing! 😰 Too much: we are overwhelmed.

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Image source: Waking Waves: https://www.wakingwaves.com/words/stress-performance-curve

Unit 2

Traits of Leaders

Resiliency is very critical for leaders in the workplace. How do you build your resiliency to lead your team consistently and from the heart? To enhance their resilience, leaders need to identify coping mechanisms that allow them to relieve tension and regain their positive energy. These are four traits every leader should practice: self-awareness, well-being, optimism and communication.

Image source: Ceresa: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-build-resilience-4-traits-every-leader-should-practice

Unit 3: Adaptability and Change Planning

Unit 3

Adaptability is the ability to adjust to different situations and conditions. In the business world, this can mean anything from adjusting to staff changes, navigating a new remote work policy, or working with new employees after a merger or acquisition.

Velocity Global, 2023

Unit 3

How you can foster adaptability in your workplace

Promote psychological safety in the workplace

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Practice truthfulness and transparency

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71% of 1,500 executives from more than 90 countries said adaptability was the most important leadership quality.

Prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion

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Sophia Epstein, 2022

Unit 3

Adaptability

Why adaptability is a critical leadership skill?

Leaders who adapt are inherently confident and resourceful, which are important traits for managers and business leaders. An adaptable leader is one who fully adopts a growth mindset when changes arise, and that mindset motivates their teams to join them.

Unit 3

Change Management Plan

A change management plan allows you to communicate the change effectively. It reduces change resistance, boosts employee morale, makes the transition easier, ensures everyone is on board and helps to create a more positive work environment.

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Unit 3

How to execute Change Management Plan effectively.

Below are the steps to develop a successful change management plan: 1. Craft a vision 2. Review existing processes 3. Create a transition plan 4. Provide training 5. Measure progress

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Key Takeways

Ways to manage Change effectively

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Differences between Change, Transition and Transformation

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The key takeways on Leading Change are as follows:

Three phases of the Transition Process

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Key Takeways

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Tools to build resilient teams

The impact of stress on performance

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The key takeways on Resilient Leadership are as follows:

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Becoming a resilient leader

Key Takeways

Why adapting to change is a critical leadership skill?

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Ways to foster adaptability in your workplace?

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The key takeways on Adapting to Change and Executing the Change Plan are as follows:

How to execute an effective change plan?

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Next Steps

The next steps in learning about Embracing Change is to explore the available resources and tools on the ONS website which will support you through the change initiative:

Explore Business Change toolkit on the ONS Learning Management System.

Complete Business Change elearning available on the ONS Learning Management System.

Read ONS Business Change Strategy 2024-25 which can be accessed through ONS intranet.

References

Bennis, W. G. (1989). On becoming a Leader. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Epstein, S (2022). How adaptability helps you bounce forwards at work. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220915-how-adaptability-helps-you-bounce-forwards-at-work#:~:text=A%202020%20Harvard%20Business%20School%20survey%20showed%20that,adaptability%20were%2024%25%20more%20likely%20to%20be%20employed. Ewenstein et al. (2015). Changing Change Management. Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/leadership/changing-change-management Indeed Editorial Team (2023). What Is Organisational Change? (Benefits, Types And Reasons). Retrieved from: https://in.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-organisational-change Nickerson, Ch. (2023). The Yerkes-Dodson Law Of Arousal And Performance (1908). Retrived from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-the-yerkes-dodson-law.html Opex Learning (2009). Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Retrieved from: https://opexlearning.com/resources/why-transformation-efforts-fail/1510/ Robinson, A. (2023). How to build resilience: 4 traits every leader should practice. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-build-resilience-4-traits-every-leader-should-practice Rutter, M. (1985). Resilience in the face of adversity. Protective factors and resistance to psychiatric disorder. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 147(6), 598–611 Sinek, S. (2014). Leaders eat last: Why some teams pull together and otherrs don't. Portfolio/Penguin Velocity Global (2023). Adaptability in the workplace: how to navigate change at work. Retrived from: https://velocityglobal.com/resources/blog/adaptability-in-the-workplace/ Zuckerman, A. (2022). How to effectively strategise and execute your Change Management Plan. Retrieved from: https://comparecamp.com/how-to-effectively-strategize-and-execute-your-change-management-plan/

Thanks

Communication

A leader has a real impact by inspiring others and mitigating stress in the face of challenges. This is how a leader translates resiliency to a team. These communications must be consistent and personalized to each person. You must be well-versed in how to adjust your communications quickly to meet the needs of each person and strike a positive tone (Robinson, 2023).Furthermore, positive self-talk is one of the most important aspects of building your own confidence, optimism, and resilience. This in turn provides the grounding for deliberate, calm, inspiring communications with your team.

Self-awareness

Understanding your strengths, how you react to times of stress, disappointment or excitement, is critical to resiliency. Self-insight allows you to leverage your strengths, recognize potential triggers of stress reactions, and pre-emptively employ adaptive strategies. This self-regulation is key to being able to show up as you want with your team, especially in harder times. Self-insight is also a strong contributor to optimism, which is a critical leadership attribute in tough moments.

Well-being

The best leaders carve out space, sleep, and time to rest, think and prepare. Only 40% of the population gets inadequate sleep yet sleep deprivation results in a hyper-reactive amygdala resulting in anxiety, irritability, and lack of empathy (Robinson, 2023). Sleep deprivation impacts executive functioning, reduces our ability to control impulses, and leads to lower optimism. All of these contribute to lower resilience as a leader

Promote psychological safety in the workplace:

Leaders should foster a work environment that makes employees feel safe to publicly or privately raise concerns. Whether it be about a conflict, disagreement, new idea, or accomplishment, employees should have a open channel of communication at work and feel safe to use it without hesitation.When a leader promotes psychological safety, they encourage employees to speak openly, suggest ideas, resolve problems, and innovate without fear of rebuke.

Prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion:

Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is important for empowering creativity and innovation. A successful DEI programme not only honors all individuals with support and respect but also spurs adaptability in the workplace.A Harvard Business Review study found that companies that adopt DEI correlate with better “change power,” which is linked not only to the company’s overall performance but also to leadership roles and employee engagement.Companies that commit to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce create a culture status quo of innovation and adaptability.

Practice truthfulness and transparency:

Leaders can practice transparency by proactively discussing any business or industry developments that impact their employees. Rather than shielding staff from news, leaders should instead respect their team’s desire to know, regardless of whether the news is good or bad. Improving trust between employees and leaders helps employees feel more open and accepting of changes. Employees in the know are likely to adapt more quickly than if they didn’t understand or trust the decisions their leaders made.

Optimism

The ability to bring optimism to any situation is key to inspiring others. Optimism also increases your life expectancy. Many researchers have found optimism to be the biggest predictor of resiliency. Positive outlooks help you notice more positive things creating an “upward spiral of positive emotions” (Robinson, 2023).By contrast, negative emotions result in being defensive, which shuts you off to new possibilities as they are perceived as risks. If you find optimism does not come naturally, do not despair. While some people are born with a greater tendency towards optimism, it can also be learned.