Why Change Management Is Today’s Leadership

Why Change Management Is Today’s Leadership “No, I don’t want it.” Too bad, because the next change is on the way. And you know, it won’t wait for you. You need to wake up and take action. Arg. Grrr. You can play a pirate, but there is no way to avoid it. How to connect with AgileDad: - [website] ⁠https://www.agiledad.com/⁠ https://www.agiledad.com/ - [instagram] ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/⁠ https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/ - [facebook] ⁠https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/⁠ https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/ - [Linkedin] ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

• 0:15Speaker 00

  I've discovered something that's not pretty remarkable. People just don't like change, especially guys, I'm gonna pick on them. Here we go. How many times you heard, "No, I don't want it. Too bad, because that next change is on the way." And you know it won't wait for you. You need to wake up and take action.

• 0:37Speaker 00

  Arrgh, you can play a pirate, but there's no way you're gonna avoid it. Change is not gonna wait for you. At all staff meetings, and you hear about new strategies, teams restructuring, new processes, lost clients, and budget shortages. You think to yourself, "Not again, please." Disruption is the rule. If you can't lead through it, you'll be replaced by someone who can. Or you stay, but rotting in your complaints. Yes, we all realize, change sucks. It does. One thing is done, and the next time is yet to come. It's tiring. You can't fight it. It's there, quicker or slower, it's still change.

• 1:22Speaker 00

  I spoke with a manager once who was literally tired of his fast-paced environment. He was no rookie, but he was sick of abrupt hiring and then firing. Is there no other way to manage changes and make things better? It was a very good question. Since businesses react to what's on differently, your culture should be more change-resistant, but the truth is, your company won't save you from changes. On the flip side, you're ready to work, and you're ready to rock, and you'd be surprised, and then you find out that it sucks. It's just the way change kinda operates. But change doesn't have to be that way. Sometimes fears for its faster than a strategy itself.

• 2:07Speaker 00

  People just don't like change. They're resistant. They often experience several stages of change. There's shock, denial, frustration, depression, experiment, decision, and integration. Then there's an adoptive curve as well. Some people are innovators, but most are going with the flow. When they see some results, they like to move forward. In times of change, basically every day, uncertainty is what kills motivation. You hear some bits and gossip here and there, but what's happening is truly unclear. Leaders who master change or leadership and change communication, re-communication, minimize fear and find creative energy and support to support whatever's happening.

• 2:51Speaker 00

  But by now, you know that the negative emotions spread fast: fear, frustration, anger, all those. Can you be faster than a gossip? Then, if you can, you become a true servant leader.

• 3:07Speaker 00

  Oftentimes, my class, I say, "A vision without change leadership is a dead plan because it's like having a vision with no strategy to execute it." Transformation fails not because of ideas, but because leaders can't move people. And you cannot move them if you don't believe it all makes sense. The textbook process is simple: make your vision real, drive positive emotions, explain why it matters, engage people early, invite input, run pilots, involve your favorite influencers, move in small chunks, show visible progress quickly, make it like pizza time. Stay with your team. Leaders often announce the vision and then disappear, hoof, into the bush like Homer Simpson. Change leadership means being seen and listening. You have to be active.

• 3:52Speaker 00

  Have a plan before you make just a deck of PowerPoint slides, and your communication will remove barriers, not your tight slides full of all kinds of good numbers. Leaders like those, but most people on the ground don't.

• 4:05Speaker 00

  Change leaders have to think differently. AI is taking a big step in this direction. In fact, AI, massive hiring, cold markets, and ongoing wars and conflicts make leaders twist and shout and look fervently at what do we need to do to hold on to our budget and firm it down? Global crises do not favor stability. They need you to be adaptable and creative. Change leaders are the ones who mobilize people. Moving people is a hard nut to crack. In culture change, process change, product change, all things change.

• 4:43Speaker 00

  If you want to keep the energy alive and you want to have strong relationships, you absolutely need trust and safety to create the space for people to voice their concerns and the things they need. It all circles around to why life actually matters and why everything matters, and how it connects to values and purpose of whatever you're trying to build. So what should your team be doing right now to deal with the changes you're facing? What behaviors do you want them to adopt? What is the big picture that you're trying to get across? If you're talking about change openly, sometimes those conversations can get pretty messy, especially when the other person doesn't care too much about change, they just want to get things done.

• 5:27Speaker 00

  So it's how do you, how do you step up as a leader? And how do you help people understand that it's not just going to be another role or title, it's going to be aha, I am the change manager. That change management is going to be spread all the way across I D H and discovery, delivery, and release. And I think it's important to turn vision into clear, relatable stories that engage people early, build trust, celebrate small wins, and help you stay visible. That's when you hit the sweet spot. That's going to do it. I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you have a topic you want us to discuss, learn more at agiledad.com. We'd love to hear from you. And until next week, we encourage you to stay healthy, stay well, and stay agile, my friends. Do take care.