Leading When There's Too Much Change

Change is nearly constant in many organizations today, often causing stress. Employees may be asked to deal with multiple initiatives at once, sometimes without knowing whether and how the changes will make their jobs easier or benefit the company as a whole. How can leaders ensure that change is manageable and that employees do not feel overwhelmed and discouraged in the face of large (and small) transitions?

This issue of TD at Work, Leading When There's Too Much Change, helps leaders prioritize change initiatives and support employees during times of transition. In this issue, you will find:

• guidance for assessing change readiness
• tips for reducing and preventing change overload
• suggestions for helping employees embrace change
• help with assessing change burnout.

About the Authors

Kristin Cullen-Lester is a senior research scientist at the Center for Creative Leadership, a top-ranked, global provider of leadership education and research. Kristin leads CCL’s R&D work on network applications in leadership development. Her research focuses on relational aspects of leadership, including leader’s social networks and the role of organizational networks in shared leadership, complex collaboration, and implementing change across organizational boundaries as well as leadership in turbulent, changing workplaces.

Bill Pasmore, PhD, is senior vice president and global organizational practice leader at the Center for Creative Leadership, a top-ranked, global provider of leadership education. He is also a professor of practice of organization and leadership at Columbia University and was formerly a partner at Oliver Wyman Delta Consulting, part of the MMC Corporation. He is a consultant to CEOs of global Fortune 1000 firms on change, leadership, senior teams, and organization design and is a frequent speaker at corporate events and conferences.