3.11 5 Competencies for Transformational Change
EGL Newsletter Volume 3.11
What does it mean to make a transformational change? The literature is full of references to transformational change, but it is not always clear what sort of change people are talking about. The significance is that different sorts of changes require different approaches and very different competencies.
Transformational change is when you literally change the rules for operation. Culture change such as that represented in mergers and acquisitions is a classic example of this sort of change, often mistakenly approached as an integration project. Errors in approaching this sort of change are also directly attributed to the failure of many mergers.
Another sort of transformational change is when the leader begins a life shift. We often find this when a person is confronted with a life changing circumstance or receives an internal aspiration to become someone completely different. This is the source of the deepest level of transformational change at a personal level. When this leader has a significant following, this is guaranteed to create a corresponding change within their organization or community system. Learning how to work with this is the key to inspiring profound change within larger systems.
As it turns out, the real key to successful change is the leader, and the choices that leader makes – the choice to engage, the choice to commit, and the choice to share their perspective with others. Leaders create networks of thought, energy, and commitment that drive organizations. We know that there are five areas of competency that create transformational change in organizations.
Transformation Leaders
Envision a Compelling Future (Vision)
Commit to the Future (Action)
Set High Performance Goals (Aspiration)
Enable Inspired Action through Teams (Collaboration)
Exude Energy & Inspiration (Presence)
Each can be further divided and individual behaviors and skills can bring this down to a far more specific level, but at the top level, these are the areas of leadership that make the most difference. It is worth every leader’s time to understand how these relate to change and see how they can also use them.
If you’re interested in learning more about these, give us a call at (805) 277-4993 or an email at [email protected].
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