5 Essential skills for a successful corporate change

We asked a variety of consultants and strategists in the field, who all mentioned one key word when asked the question: 'flexibility'. Noted. Subsequently, they assigned five essential skills for any 'changer' to accompany this crucial quality.

Based on what we heard, we established the following five essential skills for a professional guiding a successful strategy change: the 5 ultimate skills for a good 'changer'.

1. He/she is a better planner and better capable of assessing exactly which knowledge and expertise the organisation might need in five years from now;
2. He/she has clearly defined guiding lines for the extent and margins of the flexibility within the organisation.
3. He/she has a good notion of the consequences of developments in the labor market in five years from now;
4. He/she is up-to-date on the HR-strategy within the organisation for the coming 3-5 years, which is already set;
5. There is a distinct relation between this HR-strategy and the company goals, which are adjusted to each other carefully.

Next to the organisation having to be flexible, there is also a crucial role of importance for 'inspiring leadership', according to our panellists. Clearly, a successful change within a company relies heavily on the way the leader puts it forward. If a director expresses its vision and goals in a clear and comprehensible way, they appear to encourage and enthuse employees significantly more than those who lack this expressive manner. Affectively, this means employees have a better understanding of what's expected of them, therewith enhancing the triumph of the change.

Conclusion: even in times of hardship like these, changes within a company can still be successful, if only put forward by the right person, in the right manner.

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