In this article, Lyndon Friesen discusses the three essential elements that leaders need to implement to successfully lead through organizational change.
Written by Lyndon Friesen, who leads our Professional Development arm of Outback Team Building, called Ignitor. Over the past 10 years, Lyndon and his skilled team of Facilitators have led over 800 different learning and development events for over 500 different organizations across North America.
Change is rarely introduced on a whim. In almost every organization, it’s pursued for a good reason, whether it’s to improve systems, strengthen the business, or create better outcomes for customers and employees.
But here’s the reality leaders often underestimate:
Even when the destination is positive, the path to get there can be disruptive.
That disruption isn’t theoretical. It touches people’s jobs, routines, priorities, and sometimes even their sense of stability. The work they’ve been doing changes, the tools they’ve mastered evolve, and the relationships and workflows they’ve relied on get restructured.
And that’s where resistance begins. This doesn’t happen because people think the goal is bad, but rather because living through the transition is hard.
This is why change leadership is about more than setting a new direction. It’s about shaping the conditions so your people can handle the disruption, stay engaged, and reach the benefit you’re aiming for.
The Framework for Change: 3 Essential Building Blocks for Change Leadership
Change is fundamentally a human endeavor. How someone responds to change—and, as a result, how smoothly that change takes place—often comes down to their personal history with it.
But even the most adaptable individuals will stumble if the organization hasn’t done its part.
That’s why organizations need to consider three essential building blocks for successful change.
These building blocks are leadership disciplines that ensure the environment supports the change, rather than undermining it.
1. Protect Your Team’s Bandwidth So Change Can Succeed
I’ve yet to meet a leader who says, “We just don’t have enough to do around here.”
More often, the conversation goes the other way: there’s more work to be done than there are hours in the week.
And yet, leaders keep saying yes—to projects, clients, innovations, and opportunities—because each one looks smart in isolation.
Those isolated components are rarely the issue, though. The trouble comes in the totality.
Change is like a buffet table. Every dish looks appealing on its own. But stack too many on your plate, and you’ve got a mess you can’t finish.
If you’d like, you can also look at it like cheesecake. One slice is a treat. Five slices are probably a regret.
Whichever metaphor you prefer, the fact of the matter is that change works the same way.
Too many “yeses” bury the initiatives that matter most, and the people tasked with delivering them end up overextended.
Leaders who protect capacity take a disciplined approach:
- Assess current workload honestly before committing to anything new
- Decide what to pause or stop to make room for the change
- Guard time and attention so the team can focus on the most critical work
It’s not about lowering ambition. It’s about making sure the changes you do pursue have a fighting chance to succeed.
And that starts with saying no to the good so you can say yes to the best.
2. Make the Value of Change So Clear That Nobody Can Miss It
Even when change is designed to produce a positive outcome, that intention doesn’t automatically make it feel good or roll out smoothly. In fact, it’s common for people to feel the pain of disruption well before they see the payoff.
Leaders can’t afford to assume that “good reason” will carry the day. You have to actively connect the dots between the short-term challenges and the long-term benefits.
That means:
- Explaining why the change is necessary now, including what opportunity you’re seizing or problem you’re solving
- Painting a clear picture of the end state so people can visualize the payoff
- Making the connection to individual impact, particularly in how your team’s daily work, resources, or results will improve once the change is in place
This isn’t a one-time speech. It’s a message you have to reinforce repeatedly as people work through the disruption.
Every time they hit a rough patch, they should be able to recall exactly why this is worth the effort, because you’ve made it impossible to forget.
3. Give Your People What They Need to Deliver on Change
Even with clear priorities and a well-communicated benefit, change can stall if the environment makes it hard to succeed. This is where leaders need to shift from telling people what to do to equipping them to actually do it.
Thriving through change requires:
- The right resources, including budget, tools, and training that match the demands of the change
- Decision-making authority for those closest to the work
- Removing friction by cutting unnecessary approvals, outdated processes, and low-value tasks that drain focus
Your aim shouldn’t be micromanaging the process. Rather, it should be to clear the road ahead so your people can move forward with confidence.
Like consistently reiterating the value of change, this is not a one-and-done effort. You need to keep scanning for roadblocks and removing them as the change unfolds.
The Multiplier Effect When All Three Building Blocks Are in Place
These building blocks aren’t independent checkboxes. They’re interconnected disciplines that multiply each other’s impact.
Without protecting capacity, people won’t have the bandwidth to care about the benefit. Without a clear benefit, they won’t fully engage with the conditions you’ve provided. Without the right conditions, even motivated, aligned teams will run out of momentum.
Get all three right, and you create a foundation where change is not only implemented but embraced and sustained.
Making Change Work Is a Leadership Job
Change is constant. Thriving through it is optional, and that choice is made in how you lead.
By accepting limits, clarifying the benefit, and providing the conditions to thrive, you give your people the clarity, focus, and support they need to turn disruption into progress.
These building blocks don’t just make change possible. They make it stick.
Outback’s Professional Development programs, including Positive Team Dynamics, Clear Communication, and Confident Decision-Making, help leaders put these disciplines into practice so their teams can deliver results no matter what changes come next.
