The Leader's role in change

Many of us have experienced initiatives when a  leader's involvement is at the time of the Kick off and the Cake.  Never let yourself be that leader.

Your sponsor, aka your Director, Chief Librarian, Commissioner depending on your organization, has a key and vital role in change.

In recent training, three roles are required from the leader for successful change or initiative:

1. Participate visibly throughout the project

The leader needs to be visible and active throughout a project - this is a critical activity. What does that look like?

• Support the team
• Proactively remove obstacles for the change management team
• Provide resources and control of the budget
• Understand the change process, its impact and the desired future state
• Champion the change
• Actively support the change management work, methodology and practices
• Participate in change activities and messages
• Own the change
• build excitement and enthusiasm for the project
• be the first adopter

2. Communications support and promote the change to impacted groups

• Communicate the end vision
• Create awareness about the specifics and the needs for change
• Advocate the change to impacted groups that might be resistant
• Vocally support the change
• Clearly and succinctly explain the "what's in it for me" (WIIFM) of the change to impacted groups

3. Build a coalition of sponsorship

• Engage across the organization
• Create work and maintain a network of change agents
• Encourage senior leaders to participate and support the change
• Cultivate management support of the project
• Clarify roles and establish expectations with mid-level and frontline managers
• Solicit and listen to management feedback

Biggest mistakes

1. Failing to remain active and visible throughout the life of the project
• aka as Launch and Leave leader
2. Underestimating or misunderstood the people side of the change
3. Failing to communicate messages about the need for change
4. Delegating the leadership role and responsibilities 
5. Failing to demonstrate support for the project in words and action