That is why one of the most difficult jobs for leaders is to not only execute transformative initiatives, but also conduct open and honest conversations about a particular change that will be taking place within the organization. A lot of leaders miss the mark completely from the very beginning because of their approach to change and how they communicate—or don’t communicate—the change from the start.

The facts are: Your success and level of impact as a leader is greatly determined by your organization’s ability to leading through change, adapt, and execute rapidly through ongoing upheavals. The organization and leader that possesses the ability to guide their teams through change more effectively than the competition will thrive now and in the future, regardless of pandemics, and world chaos.

A Look Back on The Impact of Change Through The Pandemic

From the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and throughout 2021, companies small, medium, and large have had to adapt their business strategy and change quickly. There were many leaders and organizations that were so stuck in their old ways, that if the pandemic crisis didn’t wipe them out, their inability to adapt and change would eventually decrease their earnings and rob them of economic, productive growth.

We’re learning that as the economy has consistently rebounded in 2021, the extent of the damage from businesses not being able to adapt and change, has been profound. However, despite this, there are some encouraging signs. The business leaders and organizations who have adapted, who have embraced change, and those who have created new business opportunities have thrived.

How are they doing this? In a variety of ways. Business leaders who adapt and cater to home based work, new digital processes, “outside-the-box” thinking, or “throw-away-the-box” thinking, and other societal shifts are outpacing others who have tried to continue pre-pandemic.

Creative Destruction: Out With The Old, In With The New

According to an article in Time Magazine, there’s a proliferation of new business systems and technologies replacing outdated ones. It means destroying the “the box” way of thinking. In other words, you must completely eliminate the box. It means tossing out the old ways of working while thinking and creating new ones. This isn’t exactly a new process, but in 2021, it has become a new way of managing business. It is known as “Creative Destruction,” a term popularized by Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1940s. In an online article from Investopedia, the theory of Creative Destruction assumes that longstanding arrangements and assumptions must be destroyed to free up resources and energy to be deployed for innovation. Schumpeter believed economic development is the natural result of forces internal to the market and is created by opportunity to seek profit.

Reimagination

During the pandemic, major corporations including Disney had to adapt. Their business leaders had to think creatively and reimagine the movie industry. In an entertainment article on Quartz; Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, announced that the company had released the live-action Mulan via its Disney+ streaming service for an extra fee of $30. Chapek explained that the pandemic had forced the company to consider different ways to reach audiences beyond movie theaters. In other words, the company had to think creatively and not only “outside the box,” but eliminate the box altogether.

Leaders can learn from this. We have all witnessed the major success of the streaming services at home with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and more. And even though movie theaters have been reopening, audiences still have a choice whether they go to the theater to watch a movie on the big screen or watch it in the comfort of their own home.

What would have happened if Disney’s business leaders and teams had said, “No, we want to continue marketing our films the way we always have. It’s the Big Screen or No Screen.” That would have meant the loss of millions and millions of dollars. Instead, Disney’s leaders used their creativity to reimagine one of the most powerful business models in the world. This is one example of how business leaders have changed and adapted to an ongoing crisis that affected the world.

Executing change within an organization can mean a number of different things. Whether new leadership has taken over, or current leaders are driving creativity in different ways, we have witnessed a complete digital transformation. How employees work, socialize, entertain, shop, and live everyday lives, have changed. As a leader, your ability to embrace and execute change in your company is a key organizational imperative.

Leading Through Change More Effectively

Here are a few ways that you, as a leader, can spearhead change more effectively and help team members navigate the discomfort that leading through change brings about.

1. Communication, Encouragement, Support

The first common trap that leaders come across when it comes to change is their lack of preparation when it comes to discussing change. If you start preaching about what needs to change or how someone’s daily work will be different from what they did for the past twenty years, expect the message to fall flat. Leading through change more effectively and executing change initiatives starts with thoughtful, direct, and a human centered approach to communication. You have to understand that even though the change may be so simple and easy for you to understand, that is definitely not the case for everyone else.

A simple but extremely effective formula for leaders to consistently engage in is as follows:

• Communicate the change. Make a strong case for why the change is happening.
• Encourage your team by explaining how change benefits them directly.
• Listen to understand their concerns and how they can be supported.
• Respond with urgency to their concerns and the support needed.
• Tie everything back to them and their needs, which will benefit the company, making a strong case for the change.

2. Embrace Discomfort

Successfully leading through change requires leaders to embrace the discomfort especially during the beginning stages.

Not long ago, I worked with a senior leadership team who experienced these discomfort issues. They were a month and a half in on a major change initiative that was going to change key internal processes. When the change was announced, employees were uncomfortable about the decisions. They were unhappy and resisted adopting the new business structure. It became so uncomfortable and challenging for even the senior leaders that they briefly thought about putting this change initiative on the back burner.

After careful consideration, the leaders decided to move forward but with the knowledge of how uncomfortable the team was. The leaders listened to the growing concerns. They answered questions. They offered support. The leaders explained in detail why the change was necessary, how it was going to benefit the efficiency of key internal processes in the company and showed specific examples of how it was going to make the lives of employees simpler and better. In the end, the change proved to be beneficial for everyone, and the company thrived.

Embracing the discomfort is vital because there is nothing easy about change. If leaders don’t embrace discomfort and resistance they will inevitably experience along the way, it’s nearly impossible to expect others to get on board. Think of it this way. When someone has a goal of losing weight, there is extreme levels of discomfort in the very beginning. Changing daily habits, hiring a coach, and removing guilty pleasures that brought so much satisfaction is hard to do. But those who are able to adopt new habits and stay consistent in their weight loss journey are those who are able to embrace the discomfort and get comfortable being uncomfortable. The same goes for leading change.

3. Emotional Intelligence

All change, whether negative or positive, provides a unique opportunity to advance to a higher level and become better than ever. There are two assumptions that first come to mind when people hear about a change that will be taking place. They either see the change as an opportunity to be better or they will see it as a burden that will take them out of their comfort zone. In all situations, the successful leader will utilize a high degree of emotional intelligence.

In the online article, Mind Tools, there is a focus on emotional intelligence, which is crucial for leaders when leading change. People with a high degree of emotional intelligence know what they’re feeling, what their emotions mean, and how these emotions can affect others. For leaders, increasing emotional intelligence is essential for executing change initiatives. According to Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who popularized the term, there are five key elements to it: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills.  By utilizing these five key elements, the leader will more effectively be able to highlight the opportunities that are created from the organizational change. When this is done at scale and repeated day in and day out, you will start gaining traction with shifting the behaviors and mindsets of employees.

A Final Word on Leading Through Change

A lot of people say they hate change, but I disagree. I truly believe that everyone wants to change certain aspects of their life. The problem exists when they can’t imagine and visualize the benefits and opportunities that exist because they are stuck in the same-old mindset. They aren’t using their creative imaginations. They aren’t “reimagining” how things could be, and how the differences could be better for the company and themselves personally.

Show your team that opportunity exists for them and the organization. Create compelling themes and stories that paint a clear picture on why the change is not only necessary, but how it will personally benefit others. When the opportunities are articulated in a clear, compelling, and inspiring way, adoption and execution follows.

The post Leading Through Change More Effectively appeared first on Matt Mayberry.

In life as well as business, there will be times when negative, perhaps unthinkable, situations arise, and we are forced to think fast and make our move.

Often, people in these circumstances fall victim to curling back up in their comfort zone and avoiding further discomfort, by any means necessary. But in business, this becomes a tragic formula that over time can force an organization, regardless of size, to close its doors. As an entrepreneur and leader of that organization, you must not only be obsessively good at putting out fires but at figuring out how to turn crisis into clarity and the ignition of tremendous growth.

As a former professional athlete, called on to perform under intense pressure and turn negatives into breakthroughs, I learned what separates an average player from a great one. The same exact characteristics are needed to win and thrive in business.

I recently had the pleasure of talking with Tim Leman, chairman and CEO of Gibson, an Indiana-based insurance, risk-management and health-benefits advisor. Tim has an amazing passion for leadership, and his track record of success shows it. Under Leman’s leadership and guidance, Gibson has endured a lot of rapid change in the marketplace and has risen to become one of the top insurance agencies in North America.

Leman is also the author of the book rEvolution, the powerful story of his  transformation from a first-time CEO to head of a thriving professional services firm. rEvolution provides personal insights and practical guidance on how to utilize a business crisis to bring about change, evolution and growth.

Leman and I discussed his evolution as a leader and five key leadership traits that helped him turn crisis into clarity and ignite growth.

1. Resilience

All great leaders, regardless of industry, are extremely resilient and never quit at the first sign of trouble. In 2009 and 2010 ,when the recession was in full swing, 10 percent of Gibson’s workforce was laid off.

“We were in financial turmoil and it would have been so easy to give up and sell in that moment of time,” Leman told me. Even though giving up and selling the company would have been the easiest route, Leman remained resilient and didn’t give in. “Without dogged perseverance and a tenacious personal belief system I wouldn’t have made it,” he acknowledged. “You have to survive to even have the chance to evolve. Don’t give up the fight.”

I couldn’t agree with Leman more. The best leaders, teams and organizations never give up the fight regardless of how tough things are at the moment. So, get connected to your personal belief system just as Tim Leman did. Why do you do what you do? What’s your long-term vision? How do you want to be remembered as a leader?

In order to build a great company and successfully lead through change, you must become the most resilient person you know. Don’t give up the fight!

2. Introspection

Being introspective doesn’t happen right away for a lot of leaders. One of the easiest things in the world to do is to constantly place the blame elsewhere and never look within to question your own actions and beliefs.

“What changed for me was getting crushed in my ‘360’ reviews [employee and supervisory feedback], which started the process for me of looking within and then wanting to change for the right reasons,” Leman told me. “The best leaders are always looking for ways to maximize their efficiency and be better more of the time. One of the best ways to do this is to make it a priority to take a weekly or monthly review of your leadership style and ask yourself how you can become a more effective leader.”

Leman added, “The ability to self-correct is critical to improving your leadership style. Leaders without followers can’t drive change. Become more self-aware or find others to help you.”

3. Adaptability

The market and world we live in is constantly changing, which means that as leaders we must be more adaptive than ever and willing to change, as well. And change is hard; change is extremely uncomfortable. But it’s an absolute must if you are looking to create extraordinary breakthroughs.

Leman said, “Nothing is static these days, and you can’t afford to be, either. Transform or die. It’s a message that you have to be communicating to your team all the time.” He went on to say, “The more prepared your team is to live in a fluid and evolving world, the easier it will be to implement necessary change in your organization.”

Be adaptive and willing to step out of your comfort zone. Some of my own biggest breakthroughs in business have taken place when I forced myself to get uncomfortable. You will never experience greatness in anything if comfort is what you seek.

4. Collaboration

“Collaboration is about input and influence versus coercion. Your people want to be heard, understood and most importantly, actively involved,” Leman said to me.

The greatest leaders and coaches in the world will be the first to tell you that the success they are experiencing is because of the people they have around them. Not only have they done a great job of creating more leaders and positioning themselves around the right people, but they have also created a collaborative culture where everyone is in tune with what is going on.

To give you a perfect example of what this culture may look like, Leman decided that he wanted to be 100 percent transparent with his employees and start sharing all the financials with them and where the company was headed. This authentic approach did wonders for him as leader, and he was able to create a culture based on trust and honesty. Authenticity is a quality that will always help a leader prevail.

5. Clarity

One of the most fascinating things about the work I do as a keynote speaker is to experience firsthand the disconnect between management and everyone else within an organization. Before each and every speaking engagement, I spend a great deal of time with the leadership and then with some of the other employees.

And it’s always amazing to me to hear leadership describe the company’s vision as one thing, while each employee I talk to says something completely different. Great companies don’t have this disconnect: Everyone within the organization is very clear about what the vision is and what’s required of him or her each and every day at work. “No strategy or tactic can trump organizational clarity,” Leman said. “Clarity creates an organizational road map to success. It drives faster and better decision-making while increasing trust.”

I hope these five traits that have helped Tim Leman build a great company and turn crisis into clarity and growth add value to your own leadership style wherever you may be in your journey.

Originally Posted on Entrepreneur.com

The post How to Turn Crisis into Clarity and Ignite Growth appeared first on Matt Mayberry.