I’ve had the good fortune to work with more than 100 organizations on large-scale change, from global corporations like Royal Dutch Shell to organizations with annual budgets of $10 million. One lesson has become increasingly clear: The success of large-scale change depends heavily on the senior leadership team.
The CEO or executive sponsor may own the change, but it is often the next tier of leadership that determines whether the organization can turn an ambitious vision into reality. These leaders occupy a pivotal position. They translate strategy into daily operations, shape how employees experience change, and determine whether old habits persist or new ways of working take hold. Over the years, I’ve identified six responsibilities that are especially important for senior leadership teams navigating transformation.
1. Set and uphold performance standards.
Change requires clarity about what success looks like. Senior leaders must define expectations for each role, provide timely feedback, and address sustained underperformance. Accountability is about creating the conditions in which people and the organization can succeed.
2. Lead with compassion and fairness.
Large-scale change often alters what people are expected to do and how they do it. Leaders must explain changing requirements, provide appropriate training and mentoring, and offer reasonable transition support when necessary. Compassion and accountability are not competing priorities. Effective leaders practice both.
3. Redesign work before adding resources.
When organizations encounter new demands, the instinct is often to add people or create positions. But before backfilling a vacancy or expanding a team, leaders should ask: Is this work still necessary? Could the process be redesigned? Can existing capacity be redirected toward strategic priorities?
Transformation should change how work gets done, not simply add more work.
4. Translate strategy into operating choices.
A strategic plan has little value if it doesn’t change what people actually do. For every strategic goal, leaders should identify what their teams will accelerate, what they will stop doing, and how they will measure progress.
One of the greatest obstacles to transformation is treating every new priority as an addition to an already full workload.
5. Challenge legacy assumptions.
Every organization has familiar practices that once served it well. But yesterday’s solutions can become today’s obstacles. Senior leaders must be willing to question established approaches, experiment with different ways of working, and adapt quickly to achieve meaningful results in service to the mission.
6. Develop and connect managers.
Middle managers are essential to successful change, yet they are often rewarded primarily for staying on budget and delivering on time. Those incentives can conflict with the demands of transformation.
Senior leaders must help managers understand strategic goals, coach their employees, surface concerns early, and collaborate across organizational boundaries. Managers need to become active participants in the change, not simply supervisors of existing operations.
From Leadership Expectations to Organizational Capability
I sometimes use these six responsibilities to help CEOs evaluate the readiness of their senior leadership teams. But evaluation alone isn’t the point. The real opportunity is to establish shared expectations, support leaders in developing these capabilities, and create a senior team that can collectively drive transformation.
Large-scale change is not simply a matter of having the right strategy. It’s about building the leadership capacity to make that strategy real.
I’ve recorded a short video explaining these six responsibilities and why they matter.
As you consider your own organization, here’s a question worth discussing with your leadership team:
Which of these six responsibilities represents your greatest opportunity to improve your organization’s ability to change?
