Successful organizational transformation requires follow through and accountability. Many organizations develop compelling visions and strategies but fail to follow through and implement the changes required to make the vision a reality. Once the vision and strategy are set, transformational CEOs follow through and hold people accountable for the necessary changes in behavior.
Overcoming resistance to change is key to sustainable organizational change. Transformational CEOs effectively address resistance to change. As one CEO in our recent study noted, "my basic belief in people is that I would rather work with them and do everything I can to help them get through denial and get on the right track." Or as another CEO described it, “we are going to try it one year, if it doesn’t work we will go back to what’s not working now.”
Resistance to change often requires persistence or as Jim Collins found, a high degree of "fierce resolve." Transformational CEOs are tenacious and hold people accountable for the deployment of change. While transformational CEOs coach their people through the change, most of the transformational CEOs in the study eventually had to get rid of a few employees that didn't change and support the transformation and new desired reality. While some of these employees left on their own, half of the transformational CEOs had to force some employees to leave. Tolerance of behaviors and actions that are not consistent with the organization's chosen direction can undermine the transformation.
Read the research report.
Reference
Collins, J. (2001). Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve. Harvard Business Review, 79(1), 11.
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