Today’s organizations face unprecedented changes. Not only are such changes monumental in scope, but they often arrive unexpectedly and with increased frequency. The challenges that face leaders in such times go beyond setting strategy, making plans, and implementing new structures and processes. While many leaders have become skilled at effecting and responding to structural side of change: creating a vision, reorganizing, restructuring, and so on, it’s rare that they fully grasp or focus on the human side of change: grieving, letting go, building hope, and learning.

The real struggle often lies in facilitating the long-term aspects of recovery, revitalization, and recommitment of the people who comprise the organization, while at the same time focusing on the structural and financial demands of managing the business. It is difficult to be effective on both fronts at the same time. More often than not, leaders neglect the people side and set their sights on systems and structure.

To help build and lead a sustainable organization, managers must identify their strengths and shore up their weaknesses on attributes that are critical to leading effectively in the face of change and transition.

This program can help managers address a range of attributes—not just the emotional competencies required to connect with people and guide them through turmoil and turbulence, but also the traditional attributes associated with implementing change and assuring that it takes hold. Striking a dynamic balance on these seemingly paradoxical behaviors is a marker of authenticity and trust. Maintaining trust is the core ingredient required to lead others through difficult times. It is a keystone in the leadership capacity all organizations seek when facing uncertainty.

What is the program designed to achieve?

This programme developed with the Center For Creative Leadership the globally recognised leader in executive leadership research provides effective frameworks and resources to assess and enhance individual and organizational patterns of leadership behavior in the face of change. The key lies in balancing the dynamic tension between six pairs of seemingly paradoxical leadership attributes:

  • Being both tough and simultaneaously experessing appropriate empathy.
  • Catalyzing change while understanding transition
  • Expressing a sense of urgency while retaining the capacity for realistic patience
  • Being self-reliant yet trusting of others
  • Radiating both optimism and realism

Capitalizing on strengths while fostering the capacity to go against those practices that have served well in the past. Understanding the competing nature of these essential elements of change leadership allows managers to evaluate what is working, what is not working, and what is missing in the suite of capabilities they draw from when in the midst of change. Leaders can then examine how these patterns of behaviour serve to support or undermine their effectiveness and learn ways to strengthen their capacity for leading with authenticity in times of transition.

What specific skills or knowledge does the program cover?

The program covers essential principles that govern leadership during times of transition:

  • The dynamic effect of change and transition on employees and others;
  • The power of mental models of leadership to shape, frame, and direct a leader’s actions and to influence others’ perceptions of those actions during times of change;
  • The critical application of emotional intelligence in bringing people through the challenge of turbulent times; and
  • The understanding and availability of learning to learn as a source of resilience.

Further, the program’s Authentic Leadership Paradox Wheel model blends theory, practical applications, and an assessment into a tool that promotes resiliency as it guides the construction of a personal development plan for creating the capacity for leading change.

This programme is aimed at leaders and managers who are charged with guiding themselves and their organizations through times of change and transition. In most cases, participants have direct or indirect responsibility for managing or leading groups or teams of other people. However, the workshop is an excellent on for those who may hold individual contributor roles from which their leadership impacts others through peer or upward relationships or simply through interpersonal influence.

 

This programme provides sound research, solid frameworks, and practical resources to help participants assess both individual and organizational patterns of leadership behavior in the face of change, which in turn allows leaders to evaluate what’s working, what’s not working, and what’s missing. Leaders who complete the program will be able to more clearly assess their impact and learn how to meet the demands of both managing the business and leading their people.

“Leading People Through Transitions provides today’s leaders with the tools they require to steer successfully through times of transition. Leaders will find the resources and tools they had long been searching for – and I wish I had known them before.” – Guy Kempfert, Global Head Learning & Development, Syngenta Crop Protection AG

“Program participants will walk away transformed … you will never use a more powerful training program that guarantees to engage your learners from their hearts to the heads.” – Dr. Roger R. Pearman, President, Leadership Performance Systems, Inc.

“This tool could not be more relevant. Being able to balance the business side of change with the people side is critical to any leader’s success in helping individuals and organizations through difficult times. Louella St. Ville, Director of Education and Development, Crate and Barrel

“Leading Through Transitions effectively engages leadership participants on their role in leading personal and organization change.  – Timothy T. Conlon , Vice President, Human Resources, Global Business & Services Group, XEROX

Leading through transitions delivery

Designed as a two day programme, we provide a range of flexible delivery options:

  • 1 day executive version.
  • 1 day version with 3 supporting group training / coaching webinar.
  • A five session, 2 hour long interactive webinar delivery.

Interested to know more, get in touch via info@effectiveinsights.com