Leaders and Change – keeping on an even keel through the choppy waters of change

We understand that of all the changes that can occur to us in our working lives and in wider society, changes in leadership can have a profound and unsettling effect.

If we reflect on the recent change of administration at political level, a number of us will recognise a sense of anticipation about “new brooms sweeping clean” as well as a possible sense of nervousness about the future.

It’s probably not by accident that our language is so littered with metaphors relating to change – not only do we speak of “new brooms” but also “wiping the slate clean.”

However, it might be worth considering certain things that may help us safely navigate these unchartered waters of change.

Firstly, remember what has gone before – be informed by the best of what has previously happened in the history of an organisation – and decide what to hang on to and what to jettison. Praise and celebrate what works well, and ensure that it is invested in in order for it to continue. Equally, use any period of transition to consider what needs to change, and how best to make it happen.

Secondly, give new leaders a fighting chance!

Is it so hard to believe that people actually want to do good and want to succeed? Interestingly, the Press has been full of doom about our new Lib-Con alliance, yet it might be refreshing to actually suggest that our political leaders really do believe in what is best for the national interest rather than party-political interest.

In Worklife Support, we see new leaders going into schools and academies amid staff uncertainty and anxiety – another metaphor “better the devil you know…” – and having to work hard in the early stages to settle nerves and reassure staff that change is a natural developmental process, and that not everything is necessarily going to change straightaway, if at all. Results from our Well-Being survey show that a change in leadership is often perceived as troubling by some staff.

Tim Brighouse has a brilliant take on change in schools in “Essential Pieces” (right-click and 'save target as' to copy this to your desktop) – he says of a successful school - “we understand and welcome change because change is learning and that’s our business”. He talks of the five elements that need to be present in the management of complex change – vision, skills, resources, incentives and action plan.

Finally, understand what has changed and what has stayed the same. A new leader will, of course, want to mould and shape an organisation to their own vision, but at the same time will need to be informed by reliable intelligence as to what shape the organisation is in.

Change is a process where staff engagement and keeping people informed is critical to steadying nerves and keeping staff on board.