Leadership Effectiveness: Navigating Change Like A Boss

I have been discussing change in many of my articles, yet I still have a lifetime to discuss this topic.

Embracing Change: Why is it so hard when we know that change is an inevitable and constant aspect of life?

Well, we are hardwired to stay comfortable. So, any small or big changes can disrupt our routines and how we "Used To" do certain things. So we feel certain emotions about it, which is the usual human way of living.?

In business, organizations also change and expect people to embrace change with agility and acceptance. Many change management models , from Lewin’s, ADKAR to McKinsey 7-S Model, were designed to help with the successful implementation of change management projects. Yet, 70% of transformations or change initiatives fail.?

So, the question is, what needs to be added to the change equation to help teams and employees navigate change??

Before we discuss embracing change, let's consider why change requires so much effort, even though we know that change is inevitable.?

Change creates Disruption = Threat.??

As humans, we tend to perceive change as a type of threat that triggers emotional reactions in us. This phenomenon is known as "Amygdala Hijacking, " a term coined by psychologist Daniel Goleman in his book, "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ", published in 1995.

When we experience an immediate and intense emotional response that's disproportionate to the situation at hand, or when we overreact to something or someone, it's considered an amygdala hijacking.?

Because we view any kind of change, big or small, as a threat, we naturally have certain defensive reactions to it. As a result, it's normal for us to feel anxious and stressed when we have to change our routines, regardless of whether it's a good or bad change.?

Now that we understand that change can cause an emotional response let's look at some strategies for embracing change and improving leadership effectiveness.

How to embrace change with agility?

When we understand how the brain works, embracing change and agility also works the same way. We start with our understanding and gaining a mindset and perspective shift. Here are some ways to get started.

Looking Back

Looking back, it is a wonderful tool that we can always use as we want. Yet, it's too simple to implement. When we look back on our lives, we have grown up and gone through a lot of changes. We can't stop growing up and growing old. It's a universal truth.

So, naturally, we have the innate ability to embrace and navigate changes; we just don't realize it (especially when our amygdala hijacks us).

Often, we forget that we have undergone different and challenging changes to achieve our goals until we are reminded to. Many times, in coaching conversations, my clients realized that they, too, have the capability to navigate very complex situations.

The fear of not achieving their goals and what could go wrong over barring their ability to see the truth about reality and their own ability to manage uncertainty.?

Using the "Looking Back" perspective as a tool can help you ease your emotions and stay grounded at times.?

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Change is a Process.

In organizations, we often hear the word "Change Project," which indicates that the project will be soon completed, and we will have a happy ending and don't need to think about another project for a while.

In reality, everything evolves, and as a result, changes won't end. I heard many of my clients complain that they have so many change projects going on, and when those are completed, they can have a breather.?

They were shocked by my provocative questions, "How do you know you can have a breather? I haven't seen you have one for a long time, and from what I heard, you still have many more projects to come. When can you have a breather?"?

My question was not to discourage them but to help them strategically choose what's important when everything seems to be important, including their breather or a pause for self-reflection.?

One of my favorite tools for altering my perspective about change, shared by Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva in her Future Fit framework, is "Change is an Ongoing Process."??

When we remind ourselves that Change is not just a one-time project but a continuous process, the intensity of our frustration and resentment about change may be reduced.

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Leadership Effectiveness and Change

In the current business dynamics, leaders have to put on their masks first before helping others. They are required to gain new muscles in navigating change well and are expected to lead the team through change not only today but also tomorrow and in the future.?

Even though we can't predict what tomorrow will look like 100%, anticipating changes and trends and understanding ecosystems can help leaders connect the dots and map out their destinations. However, these activities can't be done effectively if leaders don't slow down to have enough white space and awareness about their amygdala.

To truly navigate change like a boss with vision and agility, leaders need to embrace their strengths and innate capability. This requires a willingness to challenge ingrained perceptions and behaviors, a shift in perspective, and slowing down enough to see one's own patterns and not "lose it" to one's Amygdala brain.?

Again, embracing yourself and looking back is a change in your mindset, behaviors, and practice. It takes time, as change is an ongoing process rather than a finite event. :-)

Ultimately, embracing change with agility entails a holistic approach that will help you become an Effective Leader.

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If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

All the best,

Nannapat Sage

Your Team Reinvention & Leadership Navigation Partner

Email: [email protected]