COMMENT: Leadership and Change

By Kiki Kalli

HR Manager, British American Tobacco

 

The first round of the Presidential elections in Cyprus has shown people’s need for change in government. In today’s day and age, change in dynamic organisations is a common, constant trend. Though not always wanted by employees, change is most of the times necessary to survive and get ahead in the competitive market.

Similarly to political change, all change programmes have at least two layers of motivation, states Daryl R. Conner. The ones which are openly communicated and are in line with organisational values and the ones which are covert. The covert motivation layers are divided into the conscious but hidden ones and those which are held but are unconscious.

It is key that leaders are clear about the change they want. Do they have a vision of how this change looks like? Can they articulate it in a simple way that will gain buy-in from those affected? It is also important that they identify how necessary the change is for the business, but also for their team and themselves. Does it represent the values of the organisation?

When there is resistance to change, no matter how much needed and well-planned the change may be, it can fail miserably if it cannot touch the hearts of the people it affects. According to Kotter & Kohen’s book “Heart of Change”, the most important ingredient in achieving change in a way that will be effective, is not simply by having the right strategy, systems and culture in place, but by changing human behaviour through touching people’s feelings.

 

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