Leading Change: How to Navigate Transformation with Confidence and Clarity
Barbra Carlisle • July 22, 2025
There is no getting away from it we need to be agile and lead through change - it is constant!
Why Leading Change Is More Than Managing It
In today’s fast-moving world, change is no longer a one-off event it is a constant.
Whether you're introducing new systems, restructuring teams, or shifting organisational culture, the ability to lead change effectively is a critical skill for leaders.
At Glee Coaching, we help leaders move beyond managing tasks to inspiring transformation because change doesn’t happen without people.
The Two Sides of Change: Process and Psychology
Change isn’t just about new structures or systems. It’s also about how people feel, adapt, and engage. Successful change leaders understand both the technical and emotional dimensions of transformation.
- Structural change: new roles, reporting lines, or workflows
- Cultural change: shifts in values, behaviours, or communication styles
- Mindset change: how people think about their roles or the organisation’s purpose
As highlighted in our workshops, change readiness is influenced by how safe people feel to raise concerns, ask questions, and offer feedback. Without psychological safety, even the best-laid plans will fail, not just falter.
Bridges’ Transition Model: Understanding the Human Side
William Bridges’ Transition Model reminds us that change is external, but transition is internal. Leaders must support their teams through three emotional stages:
- Ending, Losing, Letting Go – Acknowledge what’s being left behind.
- The Neutral Zone – Navigate uncertainty and confusion.
- The New Beginning – Inspire hope and clarity about what’s next.
Ignoring these stages can lead to resistance, disengagement, or burnout. Embracing them builds trust and resilience.
Kotter’s 8 Steps: A Strategic Framework for Leading Change
John Kotter’s renowned model offers a roadmap for leading change with intention:
- Create urgency – Help people see why change is necessary.
- Build a guiding coalition – Form a team of influential change champions.
- Form a strategic vision – Clarify the future and how to get there.
- Enlist a volunteer army – Engage hearts and minds across the organisation.
- Enable action by removing barriers – Clear the path for progress.
- Generate short-term wins – Celebrate early successes to build momentum.
- Sustain acceleration – Keep pushing forward, even when it’s tough.
- Institute change – Embed new behaviours into culture and systems.
This model is especially powerful when paired with tools like change readiness assessments, which help identify where resistance may be hiding and how to address it.
Common Challenges During Change and How to Overcome Them
Even with a solid plan, change can be messy. Here are some of the most common challenges leaders face:
- Resistance to change: Often rooted in fear or lack of clarity
- Change fatigue: When teams feel overwhelmed by constant transformation
- Lack of alignment: When leadership messages don’t match behaviours
- Poor communication: When people don’t understand the “why” behind the change
I help leaders to appreciate how they are role models and can promote behaviours they want to see.
Tools to Support Change Leadership
We use a range of practical tools in our workshops, including:
- Change Readiness Assessments
- Behavioural Alignment Exercises
- Difficult Conversations Scenarios
- Personality profiling tools like Emergenetics and 5 Voices to help understand how to communicate change
How Glee Coaching Can Help
Whether you're leading a transformation or navigating uncertainty, our leadership development programmes are designed to help you:
- Build confidence in leading change
- Understand the psychology of transition
- Communicate with clarity and purpose
- Align behaviours with organisational values
- Create a culture of openness and adaptability
Call to Action
Are you ready to lead change—not just manage it?
Explore our programmes or get in touch to start your transformation journey today.
Newsflash - Leading is not Managing! Why the Distinction Matters For years, many professionals, myself included, assumed that leadership and management were one and the same. After all, both involve guiding people and achieving goals. But in today’s dynamic and complex business environment, understanding the difference between leadership and management is essential. At Glee Coaching, we help individuals and organisations harness the power of both disciplines to drive performance, engagement, and long-term success. What Is Leadership? Leadership is about vision, influence, and transformation. It’s the ability to inspire others, create a compelling future, and guide people toward shared goals even in the face of uncertainty. As John C. Maxwell famously said, “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Leaders focus on: Setting direction rather than controlling outcomes Inspiring trust rather than demanding compliance Fostering innovation rather than maintaining the status quo Research from Harvard Business Review highlights that the best leaders are those who can move beyond titles and focus on action engaging in behaviours that inspire, align, and mobilise others. These leaders are not just visionaries; they are catalysts for change. What Is Management? Management, on the other hand, is about structure, execution, and consistency. It ensures that systems run smoothly, resources are used efficiently, and objectives are met on time and within budget. Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, once said: “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Managers excel at: Planning and organising Monitoring performance Solving problems and mitigating risks Gallup showed that managers are the single biggest factor in employee engagement, accounting for up to 70% of the variance in team engagement levels. This means that effective management isn’t just operational it is foundational to team morale and productivity. Leadership vs. Management: A Strategic Balance Rather than viewing leadership and management as opposing forces, I tend to think of them as complementary disciplines. The most effective professionals know when to lead and when to manage. A helpful rule of thumb I use is that Leaders should be 80% strategic and 20% tactical while Managers should be 80% tactical and 20% strategic. This balance is echoed in a 15-year study by HBR contributor James R. Bailey, who found that the most successful executives blend both leadership and management behaviours adapting fluidly to the needs of their teams and organisations. Issues that my coaching clients bring tend to be around the perceived need of leaders to sit in the transactional tactical doer space. Why You Need Both in Today’s Workplace In a world of hybrid teams, rapid innovation, and constant change, organisations need people who can: Lead with purpose and authenticity Build high-performing, collaborative teams Manage complexity with confidence and agility Gallup’s global engagement data shows that when managers are disengaged, team performance suffers dramatically. Conversely, when leaders are purpose-driven and aligned with their values, they inspire greater commitment and resilience across the organisation. If you're curious about how coaching can support this development, explore our What Is Coaching page . How Glee Coaching Can Help At Glee Coaching, we offer tailored leadership and management development programmes that help you: Discover your authentic leadership style Strengthen your management toolkit Navigate the transition from manager to leader (or vice versa) Build confidence, clarity, and capability Whether you're stepping into your first leadership role or refining your executive presence, we are here to support your journey. Call to Action Ready to explore your leadership potential or refine your management style? 👉 Visit our programmes to discover programmes designed for impact or call Barbra
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