CHANGE LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

The lifecycle of instituting change in the public sector begins when a legal mandate or drastic change in the immediate environment occurs, or when organizational leaders choose to undertake major changes. Whether a change is imposed or is undertaken from within, the lifecycle evolves from an initial assessment to a reinforcement of the change initiative.

The four critical leadership functions or responsibilities we have identified in this lifecycle are (1) diagnosing change risk and organizational capacity; (2) strategizing and making the case for change; (3) implementing and sustaining change; and (4) reinforcing change by creating a change-centric, learning organization. Effective change leaders must have the capability to make a compelling case for the change being undertaken, and to manage change risk in a manner that protects the agency and the agency’s many stakeholders. Figure 3.1 provides an overview of leadership responsibilities for change in the public and nonprofit sectors.

The leadership responsibilities for change do not usually occur in chronological order; in reality, the responsibilities are not linear but interactive as leadership effectiveness in one area affects the others. For example, effective diagnoses of the change risk and organizational capacity will assist the leader in strategizing and making the case for change; creating a more change-centric organization strengthens the leader’s abilities in the other three areas.

Diagnosing Change Risk and Organizational Capacity

The leadership is primarily responsible for assessing the risks of change and the organization’s capacity for change prior to initiating a change, even if that change is imposed from outside the organization. Key activities in this area include the following:

FIGURE 3.1: Leadership Responsibilities in Public and Nonprofit Sector Change

• Determining change drivers—what is mandating the change

• Analyzing change complexity, stakeholder perceptions, the sociopolitical environment, and organizational capacity

• Facilitating identification/realization of common interests and objectives

• Setting and managing specific change objectives and measures

• Anticipating the overall scope required for integrated total systems change

• Accomplishing change within the capacity limitations of the organization and with a maximum return on resources

• Developing change implementation mechanisms and risk mitigation plans

• Identifying and initiating discussions with potential partners in the change to enhance organizational capacity.

Strategizing and Making the Case for Change

Change initiatives begin with someone, usually a leader—whether at the top or within the organization—articulating a need for change. Effective leaders must constantly scan their external sociopolitical environment and internal organizations for potential drivers of change. Once the need for change is clear to the leaders, they must provide a compelling case for that change to their organizations.

Effective leaders are more than just “goal directed”; they are “vision directed.” Change leaders must have a vision for change that “grabs” the attention of both the internal and external stakeholders of the organization. This cannot be a dreamlike fantasy, but must reflect a possible, achievable action in the “harsh reality” of the current situation (Bennis and Goldsmith 2003).

The central theme of most change management literature is the need for stakeholder buy-in. This is especially important with those stakeholders who have the ability to influence others and garner additional support for the change. The following are important actions to take when making the case for change to stakeholders:

• Establish a sense of urgency for the change through environmental scanning and conveying to stakeholders both evidence to support the reason the change is necessary and the possible risks associated with not implementing the change (Kotter 1996).

• Establish a vision for the change effort that can be communicated to stakeholders and executed. This should be followed by communication of the vision to all stakeholders, along with processes for them to express their feelings and concerns and ask questions for clarification.

• Establish a coalition of stakeholders (i.e., a change vanguard) who support the vision for change and will inspire and encourage other members of the organization to get on board with the effort and “act on the vision.”

Because organizational transformation is most successful with the support of those inside the organization, a sense of urgency accompanied by explicit understanding of why the change is imperative will motivate individuals to get on board and support the effort.

Implementing and Sustaining Change

The leadership tasks do not end with creating a clear vision, strategy, and case for change. Implementing and sustaining change require a constant effort, including the following:

• Establishing transparency, engagement, and collective ownership

• Developing communication and collaboration strategies with stakeholders

• Developing a common vocabulary for all those involved in the change

• Appreciating, understanding, and addressing resistance

• Aligning organizational capabilities (e.g., personnel, processes, structures) with the change

• Developing a system that measures performance of the change

• Celebrating the successes of the change initiative

• Partnering to implement transformation successfully.

These activities must be planned for during the diagnosis and strategy phases and followed through during the implementation and sustaining phases.

Reinforcing Change by Creating a Change-Centric, Learning Organization

Change leaders must constantly reinforce an organizational climate that is conducive to change. To facilitate resilience and productivity in their organizations, leaders have an ongoing responsibility for strengthening their own skills and the vitality of their organizations—to make their organizations more change-centric for the future. This need for constant renewal involves the following:

• Facilitating organizational learning, improvement, and innovation

• Establishing an environment of collaboration, information sharing, and stewardship

• Establishing change implementation management practices, structures, and strategies

• Creating a variety of feedback procedures to foster a learning environment

• Developing transformational stewards throughout the organization

• Developing a transformational ethic as part of the organization’s culture.