Leadership in times of change. So, what kind of leader would you like to be?

I recently had the chance to prepare a conference in which I had the challenge to share practices to carry out leadership in the middle of a changing environment with some people. 

While I was preparing it, I had a series of thoughts which I would like to share with you.

It is quite interesting to realize how the world has evolved. Personally, I have lived in it for a bit more than four decades, and even today there are things that surprise me; thus, I cannot imagine, in the case of our grandparents, the level of reflection there is in this regard.

In this short life span, I have been able to witness how we went from sensitive political contexts, such as the Cold War, to a more volatile environment, where there are no longer only two players creating a permanent situation in which it is difficult to know when a war will begin.

The panorama in Latin America is not more encouraging as a result of the political turmoils between the left and the right, the polarization among countries, the populist governments, and the social deterioration, all of which creates a fertile context for rampant crime, corruption and drugs trafficking.

From the economic perspective, it is incredible to think during the last 40 years we have gone through more than 10 relevant economic crisis (Black Monday 1987, Tequila crisis 1994, Asia crisis 1997, Ruble crisis 1998, Dot-com crisis 2000, September 11th crisis 2001, Argentina crisis 2001, Great Recession 2007, European debt crisis 2009, and the current COVID 2019 crisis).

At a corporate level, change has not been lower. I have personally had the opportunity to live through three acquisitions, one merger and one partial purchase of one company.  

If an artisan from the Middle Ages witnessed the evolution the way in which we transform and sell things nowadays has had, it is very likely he could have one nervous breakdown at least.

It is not easy to understand how in the last 300 years we have had four industrial revolutions that have transformed the corporate world, bringing along technologies and practices which were unimaginable four centuries ago, enabling us to reach a development and an economic order nowadays, increasing productivity per person in more than two thousand percent.

In the last 20 years, we have seen the rising of unicorn companies, (enterprises reaching a 1-billion-dollar-value in less than 10 years), all of which shows us the speed from new players, backed up by platforms and technologies capable of changing the game. One of the most impacting data I found in my brief research was that among the companies listed in the Fortune 500 in 1955, only 66 of them remain, which means 9 out of 10 companies have disappeared, and what is even more astonishing, 50% of the current ones will go through the same fate in during the next 10 years. 

Summarizing everything that has been happening in one single page is not less than a crazy attempt. When the VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) concept was invented during the times of the Cold War, they couldn't imagine how useful it would be to describe the moment we are currently living. A new variable that had not been included, though, can now be considered as a consequence of the Coronavirus crisis: VUCA + U (Uncontrollable). 

Definitely, this is not the time when staying put is an option. We are now challenged to change and adapt. Such is the challenge. Contemplating history and what others have done is easy but living up to it is quite a different thing. It is not an easy moment. As I explained in my previous article, all this process of change creates fear and we are now in a context where the 4 strongest fears can be felt at their highest level by humanity. This can blur our thoughts, the way we make decisions, and the way we react. We are undeniably exposed to feel it, mainly in the resistance stage of the change curve. Yet, it is in these types of moments when we can make a true difference. 

“...Without crisis there is no merit. In crisis emerges the best of each, because without crisis all winds are only mild breezes...”.

Albert Einstein.

Leadership becomes an irrefutable protagonist in which our employees, colleagues, bosses, families and societies in general are craving for people who help them find their way. Many of us can surely wonder: Am I one of them among the millions of people in this world? My contribution is minimal, others may think; I don't even have people under my responsibility, so, who could I lead? The point here is leadership is nothing different from the capacity to influence (John Maxwell), and we all have the possibility to choose and influence the surrounding in which we interact.  

Change management is not a new topic as a lot of researchers have spent many hours on it, and it is surely one of the management topics most written about. There are nowadays countless theories and models, each of them competing in being the best recipe to manage change. Among them, you may find the ADKAR Model, the Lewin’s Model, the 8 Kotter Steps, the Mckinsey Model, and so on. All of them are very good and share many points. One of such points in common that I have been able to identify is most of these models focus on a specific change, that is to say, they help you identify a series of steps to be able to handle a particular change. Nonetheless, in the current VUCA+U context we are dealing with nowadays, it cannot be expected that we first solve a change process and then focus on another one at a different time. The surrounding is relentless and we will have to cope with several changes at the same time. 

“Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting a tiger will not attack you because you are a vegetarian” 

Bruce Lee

I do not intend to propose a new change management model in this article. Rather, what I would like to share is some elements I have been able to learn throughout my career, based on observation, some literature, experts’ theories, and practices by people that have been successful in leading important change processes and which could be useful for all of us in the current context. In the following section, you will find 12 elements that can help you lead change. They do not have a specific order in their implementation and some of them can be implemented more easily without requiring the others. The first five are 100% focused on an individual basis and clearly apply to everybody. The last 7 are applicable to everybody but will be very useful for professionals in charge of other people.

What can I do to lead change? From an individual perspective.

1. Be aware of your mindsets

Throughout our life we build up our own criteria, a way of perceiving the world, which is determined by our experiences, our culture, our family, the society in which we live, the happy moments, the difficult moments, in summary, determined by our life per se, as this life generates some values that determine the way we see the world and how we react to it. This is what I mean by our mindset and feelings. As Susan David shares in her book, the way we react when we feel emotions is because of the presence of underlying values that can be impacted. 

The point is not trying to control emotions or behaviors. What we must look for is understanding what it is that we feel and what value being affected in an external situation is. Being aware of that will allow us to understand the way we react and make conscientious decisions in that regard. 

2. Be patient and compassionate with yourself and others. 

When dealing with stressful situations, we often tend to be close-minded and find problems in others. This is related to the mindsets mentioned in point number one. We unconsciously judge ourselves and others. We either mistrust ourselves or tend to think that we are right and everybody else is wrong. When we undergo a change process, many values can be affected and, even more if it is an organizational change, you can be sure that you are not the only one going through such an imbalance. Being compassionate with yourself and others will allow you to take care of yourself and the ones around you.

It may sound easy, however, it is a process that requires a lot of work. I will not be able to go deep in this point, nevertheless, I would like to share with you six actions that I found in an article from Amy Gallo in HBR that can be useful for this purpose.

• Remember that there is always a chance to connect. 
• Accept the fact we all receive things in a different way.
• Be generous in your interpretations.
• Be aware of how you are feeling (identify and recognize your mindset).
• Accept that the family life of your colleagues is relevant.
• Do not compare your suffering with others’.

3. Widen your circle of influence 

In 1989, Stephen Covey came up with the theory of the circle of control in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. I believe that nowadays, 30 years later, such a theory remains valid and a powerful tool for self-management and leadership.

When it comes to facing a moment of change and mainly within the stage of resistance, we usually get into the circle of concern, an area where we do not have control, feel stressed out and suffer. The key is being aware where you can have control and where you cannot and how you can, through productivity and your actions, widen your influence within the context in which you interact. Instead of complaining and resisting, blaming others and the universe for conspiring against you, do your best to work harmoniously with this universe, making sure your actions are visible within its realm. 

4. Be a protagonist - Be accountable 

By analyzing the behavior of children when they do something wrong, we can find a very common situation: in most cases, they try to blame an external factor for their mistakes or a superior being that makes things happen. There are cases when things seem to have life on their own. For example, a toy broke down, the juice spilled, the cup fell, etc. This behavior is absolutely normal in our nature as human beings, since it belongs to our instinct of conservation. One might think that as we grow older, these behaviors disappear. The bad news is they DO NOT disappear. At a corporate level, we call it LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY.

Under critical moments, we will unconsciously try to reduce our responsibility. We seem to like the path of self-victimization. As Kofman says, it is like a drug, hence, we look for dealers who supply us a bit of it, people who tell us: “you are right, you are the victim, somebody else is to be blamed, poor you”. The challenge is to identify where I can contribute, which my responsibility in certain situations is. It hurts doing it, still, responsibility ends up empowering you, giving you life and purpose.

5. Focus on your own management, not on the others’.

During this resistance process in which we get into a concern zone, trying to have under control those non-controllable things, I have come to the realization that people and teams lose productivity. When relevant change processes challenging our comfort zone arrive, rumors and gossip appear, everybody seems to have reliable information regarding what is going to happen in the future, speculation comes from all the fronts, and it is only a few people who really keep focused on their work. 

If someone asked me what action I would implement to succeed in a change process, my answer would be: focus on making sure you do your job better than ever.

If we all share our individual contributions, we are surely going to help everyone to succeed collectively. Changes always come with development and growth opportunities. They are an opportunity to demonstrate what we are capable of, so do not miss that moment because it can be crucial in your professional career.

What can I do to lead my team in a change process?

1. Take care of yourself so that you can take care of your team.

As I had said to you, I do not intend to provide elaborate and complex solutions on this article. On the other hand, it is a series of very simple actions which you may already know. The secret is conscientiously carrying them out and implementing them.

This concept is no exception. Even more, I am sure all of you have heard of it at any flight you have taken throughout your life.

You may remember one of the flight attendants’ instructions which is related to the oxygen mask: "In the event of cabin pressure loss, the airplane is equipped with an oxygen mask found above your seat. Place it over your nose and mouth, pull the elastic tape around your head and tighten it from the two extremes. “First of all, put on your mask and then help other people who may need your assistance."

We can all be affected by the context and changes we go through, which is why I started with actions we can implement at an individual level. As leaders, we have our first responsibility, which is making sure we are fine with ourselves to be able to assist our people. If we do not worry about that, our contribution and support will surely be affected.

2. Make sure each member understands and is accountable for the success of the team.

In order to explain this concept, I would like to use a very good analogy by Fred Kofman. If we asked a football team what each player is for, defenders would surely tell us: to avoid the other team to score a goal; forwards will say: to score goals; and the goalkeeper will reply: to stop goals.

The point is there are goalkeepers who score goals in the last minute, defenders who stop goals or score them, and forwards who defend and avoid goals. This is a lot more than simply scoring or avoiding goals from the rival. All players work together so that the team wins.

This may seem easy but is one of the most important foundations for collaboration. It is the transition from individual responsibility to collective one. As leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure our teams understand the importance of their contribution for the success of the organization.

3. Stick to a higher purpose and share it with your team.

I recently had the chance to read again the well-known theory by Maslow about the needs of human beings. While doing so, I was able to identify that although companies have an impact in practically all levels of the pyramid, there are two in which I consider there is a relevant influence from the perspective of leadership: self-esteem necessities and fulfillment necessities (the two last levels of the pyramid).

I will dare to summarize these two levels in two words: DIGNITY and PURPOSE. This means our people are in a constant search for a worthwhile and respectful treatment and wish to connect with a higher purpose that gives meaning to their life. As leaders, we are the main responsible for providing this to our people. It is at this point where employees understand they not only lay bricks but where they grasp how they transcend as human beings in constructing something a lot bigger. 

4. Search for balance among results, teamwork and well-being of your people.

This concept has been clearly explained by Kofman. In a nutshell, in order to get sustainable results and succeed, what he proposes consists of assuring a balance among three dimensions: IT (Results, company), WE (Team) and I (Individual). This means that, as a team, we must be constantly evaluating these three dimensions and making sure we care for their implementation. 

5. Clearly plan where you would like to reach, but be flexible and agile on the way. (Strengthen the short-term projects).

I remember very well when I started my career: planning was always oriented to long term scopes. It was the time when the Blue Ocean theories and the Emerging Markets concept were trendy. Project management was mainstream in ensuring project execution. That was back in the days, 20 years ago. Certainly, things have completely changed nowadays. 

It is nowadays possible to define where we would like to get and propose a path, being certain that such a road will significantly change. Flexibility and adaptability to rapid changes in the environment become crucial competences to be able to strive today. Agile methodologies implementation which foster experimentation and micro projects execution to rapidly deliver value to customers is fundamental. A Gantt diagram can help you get a first good version of the roadmap. Yet, make sure to weigh out whether or not you must modify that path along the process. 

6. Empower your people making sure they have the skills to respond to challenges.

With the purpose of explaining this concept, I would like to refer to my experience in HR. I hope my colleagues will agree with me on this. From my personal standpoint, there are two main reasons why someone starts to have problems within an organization. What I mean by problems is low performance, lack of motivation or conflicts with their boss, and so on. 

I can boldly say 90% of these kinds of problems I have had to cope with as a Human Resources Business Partner, supporting different leaders in various organizations, are directly related to these two root causes: 

• Lack of clarity in the roles and responsibilities and in what is expected from each employee. We must make sure our people have clearly understood what is expected from them: roles, responsibilities, projects, special assignments, and individual objectives. 
• Not having the necessary skills to perform a responsibility. Changes make our teams step out of the zone where their skills might not be the most suitable for the challenge they are facing. As leaders, we must permanently sound out whether or not there is a balance between the capacities of our team and the challenges they are coping with. It is our responsibility to go side by side with our team so that they can close such gaps and do not remain in that vulnerable zone for a long time, as it can lead them to frustration, anxiety and disencouragement. (Flow - Csikszentmihalyi, Mihály).  

7. Reinforce trust everyday.

Everything said so far will be useless unless there is trust. Trust is the foundation of positive relationships. Without it, we could not share a purpose, empowerment would be impossible and influencing others will be a utopia. In the absence of trust, leadership would not exist.

Trust comes not as a result of a formula or something that could be written on a model. It is not a competence that can be developed like a technical skill. Trust is a decision we make as human beings, believing in others or relying on others. It is something we build up through our behaviors and actions, under a lot of tests day by day. 

Regarding this concept, a lot of books and theories have been written; however, I would like to refer to something I have recently found in an article on HBR, which deals with a study identifying three variables teams realize in their leaders that reinforce or diminish trust.  

• Capacity to develop positive relationships: Connect with your people, not only with your direct reports. When I say people, I mean everybody around you. Build up positive relationships that generate value. 
• Judgment and expertise: Search for tools allowing you to widen your decision-making capacities and strengthen your judgment. Experience helps a lot in this regard, just become self aware of what you are learning every single day in your life. Maturity and good judgment are built up through stories you have managed to accumulate throughout your life.
• Consistency: Do not forget your people are watching you. Your actions must coincide with your words. Good leaders walk the talk, honor their commitments and fulfill their promises. 

Clearly, this is far from being a perfect recipe. Nevertheless, they are insights I have been able to realize in the practice of leaders going through change processes. The most interesting thing is that, in the case of the most successful people, they are acquired behaviors, permanently used, that shape their way of performing and their leadership model. 

After all this being said, a reflection comes into my mind. All the elements I was able to identify derive from an individual decision, from a genuine intention to transcend the moment and help others achieve it as well. We live in a world with a shortage of leaders who help us see the world not as it is but as it should be, a world in extreme need of people wanting to make a difference, with the capacity to see change as a means to be better. So, what kind of leader would you like to be?