Organizations put a lot of thought into change and transformation plans. Project teams are set up, roadmaps created, communications resources drafted, training initiatives sourced, process modifications mapped, and organization structures are redesigned, all to bring that desired state into reality. Notwithstanding such thorough and skilled effort, research cited by McKinsey has consistently put the transformation failure rate at around 70%. In its 2021 research, McKinsey also reported that less than one-third of respondents said their organizations’ transformations had successfully improved performance and sustained those improvements over time.

What gets missed? In our experience, one important piece is often overlooked: equipping managers to have the conversations that help their teams adapt to change.

Change Communication Plans Are Not Enough

One might say that is what the communication plan is for and while this plan sets a foundation for the basic messages, managers need more than talking points. A “one size fits all” communication plan can tell managers what needs to be communicated however it cannot prepare them for every conversation that follows. Change communication plans provide key messages and important information. A conversation is responsive and requires judgement, curiosity, and skill.

Sooner or later, change gets personal. An employee questions why the change is necessary and underpinning that could be a deep worry about what it means for their role. Will their role still exist? If so, what will it look like? What must be given up? What if one struggles with the new role?

These concerns need to be voiced. If they aren’t, they will show up in other ways that are subtle and foster resistance. When resistance shows up, it contains useful information. It may show up as a team member nodding in agreement but continuing to work the old way or perhaps it is someone openly complaining about the direction and creating an atmosphere of negativity.  In those moments, the success of the change depends less on the communication plan and more on what the manager does next.

Managers occupy a difficult yet crucial position during change, even while typically carrying a heavy operational workload already. They’re expected to help employees understand what’s changing, address concerns, maintain performance and move implementation forward and they must do this work at the same time they may be dealing with their own uncertainty about the change.

Navigating this effectively requires the ability to challenge and involve people at the same time. Yet many managers have been left to their own devices to figure out how to do this. When the conversation becomes difficult, or inconvenient, some become overly directive, while others get vague or avoid the discussion altogether. Some try so hard to smooth the waters, they appease or downplay legitimate issues.

These human responses are common and understandable. At the same time, each of these interactions are a lost opportunity to learn something important that can help the change process. Each of these moments are chances for managers to understand what’s in the way, and what people think is needed. It’s a chance to involve people in figuring out how to move forward.

Six skills that make a difference

If managers are expected to lead people through change,  these capabilities need to be part of the change plan and not an afterthought.

Listen with curiosity.
Instead of immediately pushing back on resistance, managers must understand what’s behind it. What is this person seeing, experiencing or concerned about? Listen first and respond second.

Be clear and candid.
Managers need to communicate what they know and don’t know clearly and respectfully. Vague reassurance adds to the uncertainty.

Stay engaged when things get uncomfortable.
Defensiveness, disagreement, silence, and frustration aren’t the end of a productive conversation. Sometimes, the discomfort is a breakthrough to a more productive discussion. Managers need the confidence and skill to remain engaged without becoming reactive, impatient, or overly accommodating.

Challenge respectfully.
Listening doesn’t mean abandoning accountability. Managers need to be able to address behaviour and performance clearly while maintaining respect for the person.

Create meaningful involvement.
Employees may not always get to decide whether a change happens however, they often can still have meaningful input into how it happens. Skilled managers know how to create that involvement.

Coach rather than create dependency.
Change creates new problems to solve. Managers who immediately provide every answer can quickly become a bottleneck. By asking better questions, managers draw others into dialogue where they can help employees build the confidence and capability to work through challenges themselves.

Change capability starts before the difficult conversation

When we talk about preparing employees for change, we should be just as intentional about preparing managers to lead change. By helping managers develop the people skills they’ll need when conversations about a transformation don’t go according to script, managers are better positioned to help employees live the change. These conversations aren’t interruptions to transformation. They’re where much of transformation actually happens. Incorporating management development in a transformation plan is not only a crucial success factor for the change at hand. It also builds capability for future change because as we know, change never stops.