Here's how you can exude confidence in your leadership abilities as a change manager.

Many have tried to explain trust and offer formulas, but the recipe is unchanged in the 2400 years since Aristotle laid it out in The Rhetoric. You need to demonstrate pathos, logos, and ethos - character, competence, and caring. There are many techniques for this, but people will eventually see through technique. Know your values and demonstrate them with fidelity. Hone your craft and continually strive for mastery. Take a genuine interest in the people affected by the change, the people leading the change, and their success. I have seen many change managers try to build trust by showing off their expertise. You don't need to be an expert in the change, but in your craft. Good questions can go further than sharp answers to build trust.

Trust takes time and investment to build, but crumbles and exists fast. Part of this is demonstrating real empathy, that you understand and care about the concerns and emotions of your team.

Start by clearly articulating your vision and the benefits of the change. Demonstrate a deep understanding of the change process and be prepared with well-researched plans and strategies. Communicate openly and transparently, addressing concerns and questions with empathy and authority. Lead by example, showing resilience, adaptability, and a positive attitude towards the change. Make decisive, informed decisions and stand by them, showing you trust your judgment. Engage and empower your team, valuing their input and fostering a collaborative environment. Regularly update stakeholders on progress, celebrating milestones to reinforce confidence in the direction you are leading.

To build trust, a leader must consistently demonstrate integrity, reliability, and transparency. This involves keeping promises, communicating openly and honestly, and showing respect for the opinions and contributions of others. Trust is also fostered by actively listening to team members, acknowledging their concerns, and involving them in decision-making processes. By creating an environment where people feel valued and heard, a leader can cultivate a strong foundation of trust that will support the organization through the challenges of change and beyond.

Building trust requires authenticity, honesty and transparency. It is also important that you not only show the path, but also walk along with them.

While expertise in change management tools and processes is crucial, true leadership involves more than just having the right answers—it's about asking the right questions. Effective change leaders understand the issues, past experiences, and assumptions of stakeholders, guiding them to co-create a shared future. This approach builds confidence not by imposing solutions but by facilitating ownership of the change. Staying informed and adaptable empowers you to navigate complexities and ensure sustainable success, showing that leadership is about fostering collective growth and vision.

To show expertise, a leader should possess a deep understanding of their field, stay abreast of industry trends, and be able to apply best practices effectively. Sharing knowledge, providing guidance based on experience, and solving problems with competence are ways to exhibit expertise. Additionally, a leader should engage in continuous learning and professional development to maintain their expert status. By showcasing their mastery and command over their subject matter, leaders can reassure their teams of their capability to guide them successfully through any situation.

Respect is earned when others recognize your knowledge and dependability. It creates the impression that you are thoroughly prepared to guide them through any changes.

Change is about restucturing a system of people, tools, and interactions fit a vision and strategy. There's no linear change in systems. You have to expect challenges, setbacks, and obstacles. "Our actions may be impeded," wrote Marcus Aurelius, "but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." Resistors often are often operating from a different base of information, some of which you may not have. Surprises are often things that were overlooked and need to be sorted before the change can be successful.

Leaders who face difficulties head-on demonstrate to their teams that obstacles are opportunities for growth and innovation. By maintaining a positive attitude and a solution-focused approach during tough times, leaders can motivate their teams and foster a culture of perseverance. It's important for leaders to communicate the challenges transparently, collaborate with their teams to find creative solutions, and show unwavering commitment to overcoming the hurdles. This not only builds trust but also empowers the team to tackle future challenges with confidence, knowing that their leader is equipped to navigate through adversity.

Having the right mindset is half the battle towards a solution. It's advantageous for others to recognize your problem-solving and hurdle-overcoming abilities. However, when you're unable to resolve an issue yourself, it's crucial to actively support those who can and to stand by their side consistently.

Effective communication is a two-way street. You have one mouth and two ears, which means listening is as important as speaking. Keeping your message simple is advantageous, but even then it's crucial to ensure that your message has been understood.

A leader must articulate goals, expectations, and the rationale behind decisions in a way that is easily understood by all team members. This involves being concise, consistent, and using language that resonates with the audience. It also requires active listening and responsiveness to feedback, ensuring that communication is a two-way street. By prioritizing transparency and fostering an open dialogue, a leader can ensure that everyone is aligned and engaged with the change process, thereby reducing misunderstandings and building a cohesive team dynamic.

Communication should be a huge amount of your day as a leader managing through change. Messages should be easy to understand, clear, consistent and align with the overall goals of the change initiative. The tone and beat of the messaging is being observed. If you are demonstrating an optimistic outlook, even in the face of difficulties- this helps your team stay positive. The positive attitude can be infectious and help keep your team motivated and focused.

One way to Lead by Example is to verbalize what is difficult about making the change and how you overcame your personal obstacles to accept and act on the change. Secondly, actively listen to your team member concerns. I found what is important to me is not universal and other aspects may be more critical to their acceptance of the change.

Critically is modelling the behavior you want to see in your team members. When you lead by example, your not just pushing your team towards excellence— you are showing through demonstration excellence. It’s the difference between saying, “Go do this” to “We can do this together.”

Change leaders help organizations transform four ways. First, communication up, down and across the organizations is critical to foster the change. Second, strategic thinking will be important to partner with the C-Suite, business, and stakeholders. Third, listening actively to the various focus groups, users groups and teams will help provide input for messaging, model and methods to develop plans for the organizational change. Fourth, collaborative leadership in change and project management will help provide organizations with skillsets gaps needed to confidently lead, drive and deliver change.