Irecently attended a meeting
where someone asked if change
in an organization could be led by
an employee who isn’t in a topmanagement
position. The answer
from those in attendance was a resounding,
no, that only those at
the head of the organization can
lead change. This is a very popular
misconception. The truth is that
leaders of change—and catalysts
for change—can come from anywhere
within an organization. So
how can we identify the leaders of
change within our organization
and learn from them?
Defining Change
The first step is to determine why
a change happens within an organization.
There can be any number
of reasons. It could be the
simple desire to increase profits.
It could be a recognition that the
organization is becoming irrelevant.
Sometimes it’s a glaring increase
or decrease in profits.
Other times it could be a case
where the statistics and the trends
within the industry or organization
indicate a downturn in the
organization’s position in the
market. In any of these situations,
someone must realize that a
change is needed and then step
forward to take action to effect
that change. If no one recognizes
the need for the change, the organization
can enter a decline that
can continue until a leader in
change arrives.
When you begin to analyze
who in your organization is
leading change, start by asking
what leading change really entails.
The definition of “change”
in the Merriam-Webster dictionary
is “to become different; to
make (someone or something)
different.” “Leading” means
“having great importance, influence,
or success.” Based on these
definitions, anything from updating
a form to completely restructuring
the organization
could be considered “leading
change” if the changes are carried
out successfully. But that
doesn’t necessarily mean the
person who makes the decision
to change a form is really leading
change. A leader of change is an
individual who not only coaches
his or her team to success but
also has the personal drive to see
and act on a situation that needs
to be changed.
Defining the Leader
After a change has been defined,
the easiest way to determine its
leader is to look at why the change
happened. Ultimately, the answer
generally will boil down to one of
two explanations: education or
“fresh blood.” Either of these reasons
can originate from any level
within the organization. But what
are they? When a staff member
becomes aware of a best practice,
new practice, or new theory, he or
she becomes educated. When that
individual applies this education,
it can be a catalyst for change.
Fresh blood means a new individual
is brought into the organization
or a current staff member
transfers to a new division or position.
The new employee can add a
fresh perspective or new experiences
that can lead to change.
But being a leader of change
doesn’t involve simply providing
staff with education or hiring new
employees. A leader of change creates
a vision and empowers the
members of the team. After that,
the leader ensures that the team
members embrace the same vision.
The team members, as well
as the organization as a whole,
continue to share the empowerment
and vision. Then they set
(and accomplish) small goals to
By Heather Nusbaum, CMA
LEADERSHIP
Leading into Change
Top managers shouldn’t be the
only ones effecting change in
an organization. Employees at
every level of an organization
can effect change and influence
results.