This article is published by Harvard Business Review, written by Edith Onderick-Harvey. We like it because change is a constant, particularly in government. It is important that leaders - at all levels - understand their role in supporting and embracing change. Government doesn’t have a great track record in this. However, when done well the impact can benefit not just their teams and agencies, but the communities and clients they serve. The article is framed in the context of mergers and acquisitions - but we believe it has some great lessons for the public sector as well.
Executive Summary
Successful change-agile leaders at all levels in the organisation respond to changes in the business environment by seizing opportunities, including throwing out old models and developing new ways of doing business. They try to make change thinking contagious, embedding it into everything they do from the most fundamental daily interactions to the most complex strategy. Change-agile leaders demonstrate several integrated behaviours that, together, create a competitive advantage for the organisation. They share a compelling, clear purpose with employees. They look ahead and see new opportunities. They create a safe psychological space for teams to discuss the challenges of working together and of the integration overall. They promote calculated risk-taking and experimentation, and encourage cross-boundary collaborations to build products, attract customers, and achieve results.
Read the full article here.