A more human-centered approach to change

Why leaders are critical and what 'good' looks like
During change, leaders have a ripple effect on the people involved. They can help others develop and level up or they can create a Titanic-esque disaster experience that people recall for decades. But the thing is, few leaders are prepared to simultaneously get themselves through a transformational change AND show others the way. It stretches most people to their capacity.
Quickly getting better at leading change requires knowing what good looks like and then breaking that down into bite-size opportunities for growth. My decades of experience working with leaders in these exact scenarios help me guide leaders to do just that --on the job, and just in time. I know what's coming emotionally, and I help leaders anticipate and prepare so that they effectively influence change.
What does good look like? Read on for key shifts in becoming a courageous change leader.
Shift #1: Lead people, manage tasks
In most organizations, it takes quite an effort to get funding approved for large investments. So by the time that happens, the focus naturally shifts to getting **it done.
Documenting activities in project plans is important for executing effectively, but a task orientation leaves out the human side. Emotions don't fit neatly into a box. (That's why so many teams try to ignore or skip over them, unknowingly creating change resistance in the process.)
The first shift for change leaders is to divide and conquer through a role-based approach that equally manages tasks and leads people. This requires having a core change team that effectively collaborates.
This disciplined approach drives clarity and accountability on the people side. Leaders know exactly what to focus on, and what to delegate to others to manage.


Shift #2: Using emotions to connect and influence
Leaders who bring awareness to emotions--including fear--do a better job of connecting authentically with others. They "take off the mask" to show their humanity. That vulnerability helps them inspire and influence more effectively.
This isn't easy to do, and it helps to have a sounding board to practice messaging and delivery before the big moment. I've coached more than two dozen Fortune 100 executives to deliver strategic and sensitive messages with heart.
Change leaders who model emotional awareness help teams feel psychologically safe. That makes it more likely people surface issues faster and collaborate effectively.
Strategic Change Advisory Services
My unique approach to advising leaders during change uses a precise set of behaviors developed from my decades of experience. We work together to assess where you're at and prioritize growth areas based on the timing and scope of your change.
This is ideal when you need to supplement existing change resources (training or communications-focused professionals) for the strategic or sensitive transformational work or want ongoing access to an independent strategic advisor with a neutral but more holistic perspective from your implementation partner.
This is also where to start if you're unsure what you need! 😉
Schedule strategy consult
Kelsy Willison
HR Director, Harmon
"Kris helped me learn how to calm the fear and chaos of people experiencing change and how to advocate for the best path within my organization."

Claudine Weiler
Managing Director, Total Rewards & Employee Services, The Toro Company
"After working with Kris, I've started incorporating milestones into projects that focus on ensuring the voice of customer / stakeholder feedback much earlier with the goal of understanding what questions and issues there will be and gaining a better understanding of the desired outcomes."

Bryan Ilse
Manager, Finance, The Toro Company
"Kris was easy to work with and helped us work through an impossible project. She was great at keeping us focused on what was important and the big picture. We would have spent a lot of time spiraling without her help."
Shift #3: Build people development into the process
After more than a dozen large change efforts, I've learned that what works--and what lasts--is to make people development part of the implementation process.
It's the difference between assigning project tasks to people who have time to get it done and looking at who most needs to learn how to do it. This approach can make team members uncomfortable earlier, but it ultimately pays dividends.
My proprietary black box of tools helps identify these people and support them so leaders can make informed choices about where to alleviate workload constraints to support development.


Shift #4: Monitor your progress
When you use behaviors as your tangible measure of success, you don't guess whether you're making progress. You KNOW it. Surprisingly, many technology-based projects have no idea what they should be measuring when it comes to people. HINT: It's not fluffy, it's whether they're actually DOING what you need them to do.
When you're working towards a specific measurable behavior, you realize the investment in new technology or better business processes, faster. Your team also feels more confident, faster.

See--and feel--good change leadership in action
Get crystal clear on what good looks like and the small shifts to level up your change leadership skills quickly. Read my new book Inspired by Fear: Becoming a Courageous Change Leader. Buy it here.
In it, you'll see the core change team in action as evidence of how to develop your people + understand how to use emotions to inspire, influence, and encourage others.
Get a sneak peek of what you'll learn by downloading the free book toolkit that includes:
- Your checklist for change leadership (10 principles + 10 behaviors)
- Role expectations for your business change lead
- What people-focused project managers do
- How to run an effective core change team meeting