Change Leader? Is That You?

Q. The vice president of our division met with all her managers yesterday and told us we had to be change leaders or we weren’t likely to survive another 12 to 18 months . I’d like to think I support change, but what if my people or I really don’t have enough of the skills needed to lead change?

—Robert W.

A. Change doesn't just happen. Some leader—or a proactive group—makes it happen. That's no small task. Making change happen for the benefit of everyone takes vision, planning, personal drive, and personal leadership. Some people see themselves as change agents, yet lack many of the key skills needed to turn dreams into reality. Even so, there are clear-cut actions that effective change leaders take to deliver results consistently. They usually:

• See the end goal -- and don’t get caught up in the details.

• Select change-team members who have a positive, enthusiastic attitude

• Recruit change-team members who can do more than one job at a time.

• Select team members who:

- Communicate openly and honestly.

- Trust each other and share opinions openly and respectfully.

- Resolve conflict constructively—and as quickly as possible.

- Know and accept that they need and depend on each other.

- Stay focused on the agreed-upon goal and take ownership of it.

Should You Replace People?

Now the tough part: People who don’t have most of these qualities really aren’t change leaders. They must be replaced or their behavior must change. Otherwise, they’ll stop the team from succeeding. To help you identify who on your change-team (including yourself) is most likely to be an effective change-agent, answer these questions honestly—what you see now, not what you'd like to see in the future.

Low High

1. I like to do my best work each day. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2. Others appreciate my work. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3. I’m seen as a good planner. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4. I’m usually free to make decisions and act on them. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5. I like to solve problems. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6. I’m comfortable with responsibility. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7. I’m a take-charge organizer. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8. Learning new skills is exciting and challenging for me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9. I’m clearly a productive person. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10. I have strong team spirit. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11. I build caring and trust in the people I work with. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

12. My work gives me personal satisfaction. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

13. I support my organization’s goals. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

14. I typically and easily turn management needs (including those of my team)

into team goals and objectives. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

15. I create workable, results-oriented action plans by examining alternatives and selecting activities that lead to successful results. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

16. I establish daily and weekly time schedules and deadline dates. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

17. I regularly determine standards of performance for myself and others, and look for practical, creative ways to measure results. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

18. I’m comfortable assigning tasks, resources and responsibility to team members. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

19. I design information systems that assure appropriate feedback as the work progresses. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

20. I know how to get the resources needed to achieve my group’s goals. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Your Score ÷ 200 = Percent of Your Readiness to Plan for and Lead Change

If you or any member of your team doesn’t score at least 75 %, it may be time to look for another position that won’t require change-leader skills. Trouble is, those kinds of jobs are becoming more scarce each day.