1. Ditch the notion that people are ‘resources’ who can be traded in a meat market

They are human beings with all the complexities of a living system.  Provide them with the space to think and the environment in which they can thrive…. the right support, motivation, and encouragement.  Given the right conditions, people can achieve amazing things for any organization.

2. Obsess about customers

Keep the customer at the heart of what you always do.  Involve them each, and every step of the way to help shape and build products that will delight the market. 

3. Communicate, communicate, communicate

When it comes to change, transformation takes every interaction, from town halls to briefings to coffee conversations, to talk about the transformation/change.   Incorporate change into your daily routine, and at the earliest possible moment, use a common vocabulary to ensure consistency of messaging. 

4. Think ‘everyone’ is a Coach

Incorporate coaching as a core competency into the organization. 

5. Demonstrate active listening

Learn to listen, really listen to what is being said.  Look for the signs of what is not being said! 

6. Zoom out to Zoom in

Get people systems thinking when solving problems and look at change & optimization in the context of the bigger picture.   

7. As leaders, get close to the real work

To enable, facilitate and support change, leaders must get a first-hand view of what is happening on the ground. Create opportunities and incorporate ‘walking the floor’ into your daily/weekly routine. Talk to team members and listen to how they are doing. 

8. Transformation cannot be ordered on a plate

Implementing change takes time!  And mandating it may get you compliance, but it won’t get the commitment you need to sustain for the long term.   As a leader double up on the energy you invest in bringing people on the journey.  Stop believing a two-page ‘dull as ditch water’ vision document will paint that picture of a brighter future.  Bring it alive for people so that they can share your excitement and feel they can buy-in to being the co-owners of making it happen. Make the vision for change visible whether it’s physical posters in the office or virtual backgrounds on Zoom/Teams.  Show the progress you are making and talk about the highs and the lows. Take a lesson from the well-known video ‘Dancing Guy’ and create your ‘movement’ 

9. As leaders create and sign up for a ‘leadership’ manifesto

Change is not the preserve of others in the organization.  To facilitate and embed change, leaders must lead by example and be seen living and breathing what they ask others to embrace.  A leadership manifesto will set out the expected mindset and behaviors and enable leaders to hold each other accountable.

10. Take time to celebrate success and failure

Failure means learning and potential savings.  When celebrating success, don’t forget to call out the benefit gained from any failures.  Share the stories/lessons learned and ensure failure is not seen negatively.  It’s ok to fail needs to be part of any organization's DNA