How was Leslie involved in supporting your organizational goals, successes, or growth?

[perfectpullquote align=”Left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”h2″ size=”h2″]We were able to systematically think about all of our stakeholders, what the impact of change would be on them.[/perfectpullquote]

I was introduced to Leslie when she supported our Human Capital Leader with a significant project that had prior to Leslie’s engagement lacked a structured change management approach. At that time I was starting to work on another significant project that would become one of the largest behavioural change projects that we’d undertaken in our business unit.

Having heard the success of the other project and the impact having someone with change experience had had on execution and results, we met with the project sponsor and recommended we should also have change expertise on our project. Although initially resistant, our sponsor agreed.

 

What were your biggest learnings or what was the impact on your personal development as a leader?

The impact of having Leslie’s change expertise was apparent early on in the process. Where before we had been influenced by a more “tell them and they’ll do it” leadership approach (we weren’t very successful — but perhaps quite easy comparatively), Leslie gave us a structure whereby we were able to systematically think about all of our stakeholders, what the impact of change would be on them, what their likely concerns were, methods to validate and address their concerns.  She also encouraged us to think more broadly about sustainment locally so there was more accountability and more likelihood of longer term success. Leslie partnered with us and coached us through this approach and, as a result, the strategy and business impact that we set out to achieve eight years ago is still visible now and was expanded across the other business units within the firm.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”h2″ size=”h2″]As a leader engaged in many change projects now, I believe that Leslie helped me better understand what change meant. Before we worked together I am not sure I fully understood what strategic change is.[/perfectpullquote]

As a leader engaged in many change projects now, I believe that Leslie helped me better understand what change meant. Before we worked together I am not sure I fully understood what strategic change is. I’d grown up in a world where change = comms. When I think about what Leslie is good at, it’s helping leaders get to the “aha” moment that to affect behavioural change is complex, but it is absolutely doable and it’s worth it in the long run.  For me, that has been a lesson well learned.  Another lesson learned for me is that I can’t personally win them all — but I can clearly define what success looks like, I can strive to understand my stakeholders, I can be better prepared, and I can leverage others to help me with the change and make it sustainable.