Page 95 - The extraordinary leader

72 • The Extraordinary Leader

Letting employees know what is expected
Generating new ideas about how to create the change
Following up with people to ensure implementation

B: Involving Others in Change
Behaviors associated with involving others are

Encouraging people to express their ideas and opinions openly
Promoting a spirit of cooperation among members of the work group
Involving employees in problem-solving and decision-making activities
that have an impact on them
Encouraging and facilitating resolution of conflict within the work group
Actively seeking out information about others’ thoughts and perspectives
Motivating and encouraging employees
Providing feedback in a constructive manner (i.e., giving specific
examples)
Helping employees understand the rationale behind their decisions
Creating development opportunities by assigning appropriate and chal-
lenging work
Providing support when employees take risks, even if they fail
Interpreting Your Scores. This assessment measures your favored tendency
when you approach change. It is similar to which hand you favor (e.g., right
handed, left handed, or ambidextrous). A score of 6 on either “A” or “B” indi-
cates that you probably have a slight tendency to favor that approach. A score
of 7 or more indicates a strong tendency toward that approach. It does not
necessarily mean that you would not ever use the other approach, but you
would probably lead with your favored actions.

Effective Leaders Champion Change

With most organizations today in a constant state of change—from dramatic
growth to downsizing and restructuring—a critical skill for leaders is leading
successful change efforts. A turbulent business environment puts leaders to
the test: excellent leadership can turn a significant change into a pleasant jour-
ney, whereas poor leadership might be better described as a “trip to hell.”
We know that the best leaders inspire their troops to rally around a change,
whereas poor leaders have to push, persuade, or even threaten employees
to accept change. Top-performing leaders become effective marketers of