Change Management And Innovation

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, leadership development can't afford to stand still. Just as we regularly upgrade our technology, we must consistently upgrade our leadership capabilities - but unlike a software update, leadership skills can't be installed overnight. Along with my colleagues Leslie Kawai and Erin Wilson Burns from The RBL Group, we've identified five essential strategies that are reshaping how organizations develop their leaders. Drawing from our Leadership Code Research Initiative findings, we explore evidence-based methods, expanded coaching access, personalized development approaches, stakeholder-focused assessments, and the critical need for strategic reflection time. These aren't just theoretical concepts - we've included real-world examples of organizations successfully implementing these strategies to build stronger leadership pipelines and drive measurable business results. I invite you to read our full article and share your experiences: Which of these five strategies has had the most impact in your organization? What other leadership development approaches are you finding effective in today's business environment? Let's learn from each other as we work to build the next generation of leaders. #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #TalentDevelopment #HR #OrganizationalDevelopment

Over the years, I’ve realised that the real impact of a decision is rarely visible in the room where it gets made. It shows up later - in execution. In how clearly teams understand it. In how effectively it works on the ground. And in whether people truly align with it. Some of the most challenging situations arise when decisions are taken from an air-conditioned room, far away from the realities of day-to-day operations. On paper, the idea may look sharp. But on ground, even a well-intended decision can create friction if the practical realities and the people executing it were never part of the thinking process. That’s why thoughtful decision-making needs more than speed and intent. It needs perspective from the ground. It needs conversations with the people closest to the problem. And it needs clarity on whether the outcome will create sustainable impact over time. Because the strongest decisions do more than solve immediate problems. They create confidence, ownership, and better execution across teams. Good decisions solve problems. Thoughtful decisions build people.

I typically do not use the term “change management” (unless I’m working with a partner who wants or needs to use it).  “Managing” change implies order, planning & stability; the ability to forecast, direct & deliver outcomes. Yet very few change or transformation plans deliver what they set out to deliver, in the predicted timescales. We no longer operate in a stable world where we undertake a change project and move back to equilibrium. Our environment moves faster, acts in more interconnected ways & is full of ambiguity. Change is relentless & continuous. We need to focus on building adaptive capacity & creating a collective process, not on "managing" change as a discrete, manageable task.  Michael Hudson talks about shifting from “change management” to “change fitness”. He sets out three core leadership practices for enabling change: 1. Continuous sensemaking: This involves incorporating five minutes of sensemaking into existing team routines, understanding what is different or changing. Over time, this practice builds "complexity capacity" & the ability to hold onto multiple, often contradictory realities without becoming overwhelmed. 2. Strategic energy management: Treating people’s energy as a finite resource that needs to be deliberately managed, like any other resource.  3. Learning from navigation, not just success: Shifting from an outcome-focus to process-focus builds the ability to prevail in situations where the path forward is unclear. https://lnkd.in/eqQQM5FF Via Forbes. Graphic from Corporate Rebels.

I have become something of a persona non grata in certain change management circles. Which is a little ironic. My PhD is in Organizational Behavior, and for years I taught organizational development and change management to executives and graduate students. The field shaped much of my early thinking about how organizations evolve. And I still believe many of its foundational models were extraordinary contributions to management practice. But yesterday, during a call with a client team, the tension became very clear. They asked: “Dr. Nadya, can I ask for your take on the traditional change management models — Kurt Lewin, John Kotter, ADKAR, and so many others?” It’s a fair question. These models are deeply embedded in how many organizations approach transformation. My answer surprised them a little (because it confirmed what they were afraid to say out loud). I told him that these frameworks were exceptional for the world they were designed for. A world where: • industries evolved slowly • business models lasted decades • transformations were occasional • organizations moved from stability → change → stability In that environment, stage-based change models made enormous sense. Unfreeze → change → refreeze. Create urgency → build a coalition → implement change. Build awareness → desire → knowledge → ability → reinforcement. But the environment leaders are navigating in 2026 looks very different. Today: • disruptions stack on top of each other • technologies reshape industries in months • regulation rewrites markets overnight • business models expire faster than strategies can be approved Organizations are no longer moving from stability to change. They are operating inside continuous turbulence. And this changes the nature of the problem. The challenge is no longer managing a change initiative. The challenge is building the ability to continuously reinvent the organization while it is running. That shift requires several important evolutions in how we think about change. 🚨 From episodic change → continuous adaptation 🚨 From linear stages → nonlinear experimentation 🚨From “the people side of change” → integration of strategy, innovation, and execution 🚨From transformation programs → organizational capability Perhaps most importantly, it means recognizing that the business side of change and the people side of change cannot be separated. Strategy shifts require new capabilities. New capabilities require new behaviors. New behaviors reshape the organization. All of it happens simultaneously, not sequentially. None of this diminishes the importance of change management as a profession. If anything, the need for thoughtful practitioners is greater than ever. But the environment has changed. And when the environment changes, our tools, models, and assumptions must evolve with it.

Strategy is not a document or a plan. It is a disciplined sequence of leadership moves. Many leaders jump straight to planning and execution. But strategic leadership requires a deeper progression. My friend and Strategy.Inc cofounder Timothy Timur Tiryaki, PhD structures this progression into seven steps in his forthcoming book "Leading with Strategy." I find that sequence both practical and intellectually honest. Unlearn. Strategic work often begins with subtraction. Questioning inherited assumptions about markets, growth, leadership, even success itself. Without unlearning, we simply optimize yesterday. Rethink. Strategy is no longer just competitive positioning. It is reimagining how value is created through culture, business models, and transformation. That requires systems thinking, not isolated initiatives. Discover. Leaders need a North Star. Purpose, identity, and inner compass are not soft elements. They are directional anchors that shape real choices. Design. Strategy becomes architecture. Coherent choices, aligned systems, and clear logic. Not fragmented projects, but an integrated whole. Deepen. The hardest part. Navigating paradoxes and tensions instead of resolving them too quickly. Mining conflict for insight. Staying with complexity long enough to learn. Execute. Clarity must move. Strategy only exists when it changes behavior, resource allocation, and daily decisions. Evolve. Foresight is disciplined preparation. Especially in an age shaped by AI, leaders must cultivate the capability to anticipate and adapt. What I appreciate about this framework is that it connects reflection with action, identity with performance, and thinking with doing. Strategic leadership becomes a meaningful practice, not just a title or ritual. === Tim's book, "Leading with Strategy" launches on March 3 and can already be preordered through the usual channels. If you are serious about strengthening your own strategic leadership, this book deserves a place on your reading list.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘃𝘀. 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝘁 Enterprise Architectures thrive when they strike the right balance between 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 and 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Too much stability and the organization risks 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Too much innovation, and it may tip into 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀. 🔹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 delivers clarity, consistency, and reliability. It ensures business continuity and predictable outcomes. 🔹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 fuels experimentation, adapts to changing markets, and unlocks future opportunities. We're not playing tug-of-war. It’s a 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 to manage. The most effective architectures 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿—they find the rhythm that supports both. 👉𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁: ✅ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 Keep core systems stable. Carve out space for controlled innovation at the edges. ✅ 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 Allocate EA attention wisely across maintain-and-innovate zones. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 The balance point shifts. Reassess quarterly to stay aligned with strategy and market shifts. The goal isn’t to eliminate tension. The goal is to 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? 👇 --- ➕ Follow Kevin Donovan 🔔 👍 Like | ♻️ Repost | 💬 Comment 🚀 Join 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬’ 𝐇𝐮𝐛 https://lnkd.in/dgmQqfu2 #EnterpriseArchitecture #Innovation #ITStrategy #DigitalTransformation #Leadership

We need "Entrepreneurial Leaders"; not just entrepreneurs or leaders. I meet many founders & business leaders and observe one aspect, that if changed can create huge benefits for the business world. Not all entrepreneurs are leaders. Not all leaders are entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurs are often idea machines; they dream big, move fast, break things, build things. But not all of them know how to lead people, build culture, or scale sustainably. Leaders, on the other hand, are great with people, process, and progress.They inspire, align, and are expert at driving execution. But many aren’t wired to take risks, challenge norms, or act with the urgency that innovation demands. The impact we see on both sides, Startups led by entrepreneurs grow fast but burn out even faster.They crash from chaos, teams burn out or tune out. Whereas corporates led by traditional leaders may stay stable but become irrelevant. They get stuck in comfort zones, growth slows, Innovation dies. But what if we foster mindset shift that creates "Entrepreneurial Leaders." People who can: - Think like a founder - Lead like a coach - Move like a startup - Build like a strategist One can certainly see that, it's the mindset problem, not DNA and hence can be altered. In my view here's how entrepreneurs & leaders can drive the shift; in thinking & in actions- Mindset shift for entrepreneurs: From “I’ll do whatever it takes” → to “I’ll build systems that scale without me.” From “It’s my vision” → to “It’s our shared mission.” From “Speed at any cost” → to “Sustainable, repeatable growth.” Mindset shift for leaders: From “Let’s avoid risk” → to “Let’s manage risk while trying new things.” From “Here’s the plan” → to “Let’s experiment and iterate.” From “Keep the business stable” → to “Let’s challenge the status quo.” Businesses, startups or small, medium & large corporates will see higher success & sustainable future when entrepreneurs will learn to lead & leaders will learn to think like entrepreneurs. I firmly believe that the future belongs to those who can both invent and inspire, build and lead, dream and deliver. So whether you're a founder, CXO, or functional leader, ask yourself: How can I build the muscle to be an entrepreneurial leader? #entrepreneurs #leaders #mindset #growth #success

This post is inspired by a meeting I had this morning with the founders of one of our portfolio companies and a seasoned industrialist who is evaluating participating in their next capital raise. It was fascinating to hear the discussion from both sides of the table, the founders building the future and a potential investor evaluating the journey ahead. Despite looking at the same business through different lenses, we all converged on one powerful thought: Every new stage of growth demands a new founder. It's one of the most important lessons in entrepreneurship. The founder who built a company from zero to ₹10 crore is rarely the same founder who can take it to ₹100 crore. And the founder who scales to ₹1,000 crore must evolve yet again. What got you here will not get you where you want to go. That's why every founder should periodically step away from the daily chaos and deliberately re-evaluate everything. Not just the business. Everything. Ask yourself: • Are my strengths still the strengths this stage of the business needs? • Have my weaknesses become bottlenecks to future growth? • Is the strategy that worked yesterday still relevant in today's context? • Does my leadership team have the capability and mindset for the next phase? • Am I giving my team crystal-clear goals while remaining flexible about the path to achieve them? The biggest risk in business isn't failure. It's becoming a prisoner of your own past success. Markets change. Customers change. Technology changes. Capital changes. Competition changes. And if the context has changed, your playbook must change too. Sometimes, the answer isn't to work harder. It's to redesign the game. Change the wall. Perhaps you've been solving the wrong problem or pursuing the wrong market. Change the ball. Maybe your product, pricing, technology, or business model needs to evolve. Change the person throwing the ball. The next chapter may require new leaders, different partners, fresh expertise or even a different version of yourself as a founder. Too often, we try to produce extraordinary outcomes using the same thinking, the same team, and the same methods that produced yesterday's results. But different outcomes demand different inputs. The courage to question your assumptions, rethink your strategy, reshape your leadership team, and reinvent yourself is what separates businesses that plateau from those that endure. The most successful founders don't just build great companies. They continuously rebuild themselves. Because the ultimate competitive advantage isn't simply having a better product or raising more capital. It's your ability to evolve faster than the environment around you. Every new stage of growth demands a new founder. The question every founder should ask is: Are you becoming the founder your next stage of growth requires? #Leadership #Founders #Entrepreneurship #ScaleUp #BusinessStrategy #Startups #GrowthMindset #Execution #LeadershipDevelopment Sunita Maheshwari

The difference between leadership programs that transform and those that disappoint? It's not about the content—it's about the design. After designing countless leadership development experiences and working with great learning professionals like Rachelle Pereira, Berin McKenzie, Rolf Pfeiffer, Suzanne de Janasz, Ph.D., Teresa Ramos Martin, and Bridget C Harbaugh, I've identified 6 principles that separate high-impact programs from the rest: 🔄 Design for sustained behavior change → Learning journeys span months, not days. Real transformation happens through spaced reinforcement and real-world application between sessions. 🎯 Customize thoughtfully → Generic examples fall flat. I interview participants upfront to develop scenarios that mirror their actual challenges and context. 🤝 Build psychological safety → When leaders feel safe to be vulnerable and learn from each other, breakthrough moments happen naturally. ⚡ Use live case methodology → Participants work on their actual current challenges, not hypothetical scenarios. This bridges the gap between learning and doing. 📊 Iterate systematically → The best programs evolve based on participant and stakeholder feedback, documenting real impact along the way. ✨ Leverage alumni power → Nothing sells future cohorts like authentic stories from leaders whose skills and success genuinely improved. The goal isn't just knowledge transfer—it's creating sustainable behavior change that ripples through entire organizations. Leadership development isn't an event. It's a journey of becoming. What else, in your experience, distinguishes high-impact learning programs? #LeadershipDevelopment #LearningDesign #BehaviorChange #Leadership

To move at speed, organizations need something to stand on.    Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends (https://deloi.tt/3TRW0Dj) research shows that 72% of leaders believe balancing agility and stability is essential, but only 39% are taking action. That gap represents how difficult it is to define stability in a world that’s constantly changing.     Traditional anchors—linear career paths, static roles, long-term predictability—are slipping fast. Workers today are navigating constant change, and without new forms of grounding, many feel disconnected, uncertain, and unable to thrive.    That’s why the most forward-looking organizations are building new anchors.     They’re anchoring work by using AI to streamline low-value tasks, freeing up capacity to focus on collaboration, creativity, and strategy. They’re anchoring organizations by shifting away from rigid hierarchies toward networked teams with clearly defined purpose and shared goals. Finally, they’re anchoring the workers by investing in skills, not just roles —helping people grow beyond titles and toward their potential.    It’s not a choice between stability and agility. It’s about balancing both to build a workforce — and a future — that can float with grounding anchors through the shifting tides.