Future of transformation management: leadership

There is a lot of material available that describes what transformational leaders should do and how they should behave. One view, the leader-as-visionary, is when the force and momentum of change is dependent on the individual. Another view considers the value of empowering employees to take ownership of sustainable change in line with organisational goals.

A truly transformational leader should not just ask themselves what they can bring to the table in terms of their personal management style. They should also think about how they can encourage a transformation management culture in the workplace; how to be bold, take risks and bring their people along with them.

As such, these are the key traits we expect a leader to possess to successfully deliver transformation management:

Innovate

One of the challenges organisations face is how to stay competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace, where doing business as usual is no longer enough. When faced with digital disruption, there is a need to accelerate or risk being left behind.

Did you know that 72% of all IT executives consider digital acceleration to be a high priority but how many of them have translated this into action? A transformational leader should therefore be looking ahead to what comes next and ask how this aligns to the organisation’s vision and goals. An effective transformational leader should encourage innovation within the workforce to create a culture of ideation that can keep pace with continuous change. This could also include external relationships, such as with suppliers or competitors, as inspiration cannot flourish in isolation.

Engage

Another consideration organisations face is how to effectively communicate from the top-down but also encourage buy-in from the bottom-up. A transformational vision should not be created in isolation from those who will ultimately hold the responsibility for its delivery. A transformational leader should consider how best to engage with their people to create the case for change. There is often a balance to be struck between why change is necessary with what is to be delivered and how, and it is often the people on the frontline of an organisation who have the skills to drive transformation forward.

Inspire

An objective for any leader should be to inspire those they lead. This is especially true in the case of organisational transformation, where employees are being asked to step outside of their comfort zone into the unknown. A transformational leader is asking their people to not only trust in the transformational journey but also in their ability to guide them successfully through to the other side. It is therefore not enough to simply be an advocate for change; they must be willing to put themselves out in front, provide support and demonstrate passion for the cause.

Empower

A challenge that can be faced by employees is how to overcome hierarchy in the workplace. For example, there may be cultural barriers which prevent or discourage openness to change. A transformational leader should consider how to facilitate a workplace culture that enables employees to become agents of change. An effective transformational leader should be willing to learn from their people to drive and sustain transformation across the organisation. Trust begets more trust, which allows creativity to thrive. Employees should be free to fail – and fail fast – without fear of reproach or ridicule.

Adapt

An important lesson for any leader is learning to accept that a transformational vision may not always work in practice, or it may not work out as planned. Flexibility is key. A transformational leader should have a plan that can be changed or be bold enough to recognise when a new plan of action is needed. An effective transformational leader knows that failure is not necessarily the end of the road.

In conclusion, a transformational leader should seek to innovate, engage, and inspire employees by empowering them to take risks. They should also be prepared to adapt the transformational vision to drive forward a culture of sustainable and continuous change across the organisation.

Author

Amy Blong

As a Senior Consultant for Capgemini Invent, Amy’s experience in delivering complex projects and programmes has afforded her with valuable insights into the leadership challenges associated with Organisational Transformation. Amy is passionate about helping Public Sector clients deliver and maintain sustainable, outcome-driven change across all levels of the organisation.