Leading from the Middle

8Leading Change

Nothing can catalyze, or paralyze, an organization quite like change.

And while the middle, by definition, isn't at the end of anything, it's still the jumping‐off point for change. Change simply won't happen without the mid‐level players leading the way. It's middle managers who are closest to top brass who pass down change, who are in the best position to help them formulate change, who might create change themselves, and who are closest to those below who must live the (often emotionally charged) change. For change to flow down through an organization and stick, regardless of its source, it requires specialized know‐how for those leading from the middle, especially since over 70 percent of change initiatives fail.

That's an astonishing number, often attributed to the fact that focus falls on just about anything other than the people who have to actually live the change. We'll be doing the opposite by focusing on change management, a disciplined approach for guiding individuals to successfully adapt to change and move to a better future state. In other words, it's managing the human side of change.

So let's dig in. You'll learn about the fundamental truths of leading change, you'll learn the related powerful change management model (EMC²) that you can follow phase by phase, step by step, and you'll get specific plays for having one‐on‐one change conversations with employees to help them successfully adapt.

The Eight Truths of Leading Change

To lead change ...