Volumes have been written about leadership traits — courage, confidence, empathy and integrity. These traits matter. But just as essential is the process leaders follow to challenge the status quo and drive meaningful change.
A few years ago, I wrote the book, The Leadership Process. It highlights the four major steps that leaders take to make change happen. If you follow these four steps, your batting average for leading and implementing change will improve.
Step 1: Diagnose the situation
Just like a doctor diagnoses a patient, leaders must diagnose the situation they are in.
Three things you should always consider:
- What is working well? (Appreciate inquiry)
- What are the biggest problem or problems?
- What do the numbers indicate?
In addition to answering these questions, it is essential to get a clear understanding of what the individual, team or organization is producing. What is the quality and quantity of the products and services being produced?
And what are people thinking and feeling? Are they upbeat or frustrated and fearful?
At the center of this model is a powerful principle: Involve others. Great leaders seek input from the right people to build a complete, accurate picture. Depending on the context, this might include customers, employees, suppliers, consultants and professional peers.
Some leaders struggle to gather input from a broad range of sources.
- Some prefer to make decisions on their own.
- Others rely on the same two or three trusted voices.
- And some surround themselves with “yes people.”
Are you tapping into the right mix of voices for a well-rounded perspective?
Step 2: Identify opportunities for improvement
Some opportunities are apparent, while others require deeper exploration. You can uncover valuable insights by:
- Interviewing customers, employees and industry experts.
- Benchmarking against top competitors and brainstorming innovative solutions.
- Attending industry conferences to stay informed on trends and best practices.
- Using creative ways to define problems and frame opportunities.
A great example of reframing a problem comes from a hotel that received frequent complaints about slow elevators. Guests often grumbled, “It takes forever to get an elevator!”
The hotel manager assigned a staff member to investigate and recommend a solution. During a staff meeting, as the employee presented findings, another team member offered a different perspective:
“I do not think the problem is that the elevators are too slow. The real issue is that guests have nothing to do while waiting.”
The hotel decided to install mirrors next to the elevators on each floor. Now people had something to do — check their appearance, fix their hair, etc. Guess what happened. The complaints disappeared.
Involve others. Do you solicit improvement ideas from the right people?
Once you identify several improvement ideas, you need to prioritize. Select the one or two ideas that you will pursue. Do not make the mistake of trying to change too much too quickly.
Step 3: Present your message
Each week on the TV show Shark Tank, entrepreneurs present their business ideas to five potential investors. The entrepreneurs must do the following:
- Explain their idea clearly and succinctly
- Convince the sharks that their idea will be a money maker.
Leaders must do the same thing.
Some leaders struggle at this step for a variety of reasons, including:
- The message is overly complicated and hard to follow.
- They bury their big ideas under excessive data and details.
- Their facts and data do not hold up when challenged.
- A flat, uninspiring delivery.
The fix? Involve others and test your message. Do several dry runs in front of small groups to get their reactions and suggestions.
Use their feedback to adjust and fine-tune your presentation. Keep practicing until your message is clear and convincing and your delivery is compelling.
Could your presentations benefit from more preparation, practice, and feedback from the right people?
Step 4: Plan and implement
Every change, whether big or small, requires a well-thought-out plan.
Planning is about preparation. It involves thinking through the details, collaborating with key stakeholders and documenting the steps.
Bring the right people to the table to develop a thorough plan. One essential element is defining specific actions to ensure the target group (those expected to change) has both the ability and motivation to follow through.
- To build ability, use tools such as orientation programs, training sessions, mentoring and job shadowing.
- To boost motivation, consider incentives, rewards and recognition programs.
Your plan should also include clear metrics to track progress and evaluate results.
Implementation is action — doing what is assigned and meeting all deadlines.
Leaders play a vital role during this phase. They monitor progress, hold people accountable, adjust the plan as needed and communicate regularly about both wins and setbacks.
Implementation is rarely smooth. It is often messy and unpredictable. That is why flexibility is key. Some leaders falter at this stage because they resist change or are slow to adapt when circumstances shift.
When leading a major organizational change, it is often wise to begin with a pilot program. This allows you to identify and resolve any issues before rolling out the change organization-wide.
What is one thing you can do to improve the planning of your change initiatives?
Mastering leadership traits is important. But following a proven process — and involving the right people at every step — is what drives sustainable change and lasting success.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
____________________________________
Take advantage of SmartBrief’s FREE email newsletters on leadership and business transformation, among the company’s more than 250 industry-focused newsletters.