The four challenges

Purpose – Changing the way organizations change has become the fourth and perhaps most pressing challenge every organization faces today. This insightful and practical paper aims to describe a holistic, integrated approach organizations can use to build the necessary leadership capacity required to ensure changes are both successful and sustainable over time. Design/methodology/approach – Five decades of using change management as the standard approach to helping organizations change have left a legacy of many more failures than successes. Integrating the essential components of strategy, change, transition and communication, the paper outlines specific actions leaders at all levels must undertake to lead change successfully throughout their organization. Insights are gained from decades of work with hundreds of leaders in changing organizations around the world. Findings – This integrated approach ensures the desired results are achieved within the given budgets and timelines, people come through the changes no worse off and the organization as a whole fulfills its strategic mandate. That is accomplished through the work of competent leadership continually dedicating time and effort at addressing the fourth challenge their organization faces – changing the way they change. Originality/value – The most important competency every organization requires today is the ability to change and evolve to keep pace with the fluid, dynamic global environment. Old habits are no longer up to the task. This integrated approach to leading change builds the necessary leadership skills to help organizations learn how to sustain change successfully.