Change Management for Today's Workplace

The year 2022 is providing business leaders with unprecedented challenges. Hybridization—where employees must learn skill sets outside their traditional roles—and new working environments, which combine in-person and telecommuting employees, require us to be nimble, forward-thinking and intentional to succeed. “What’s necessary in this transformation,” says Safra Catz, CEO of tech giant Oracle, “is courage and a willingness to change.” It begs the question: what leadership strategies work best during times of disruption? Catz has definite ideas.

1. Hire and promote strategically - When seeking new talent or screening for promotions, Catz prioritizes emotional intelligence over technical skill. “Employees who don’t exhibit emotional intelligence frequently lose sight of the team objective, becoming caught up in their own personal agendas,” she says. “We have built a culture of problem-solving, not finger pointing, and we want team members who approach their jobs with the same mindset.” For Catz, the decision comes down to one simple principle: it’s easier to teach someone a new skill than it is to teach them to be a different person.  
   
   
2. Insist on collaboration - When Catz joined Oracle in 1999, she quickly learned the company operated in silos. “There was not only no sharing between the lines of business,” she said, “but no sharing, even within the different regions. Everyone was looking at optimizing his little piece of the world instead of working together collaboratively to optimize for the whole.” Anticipating resistance from managers unwilling to cede any portion of their influence or control, Catz incentivized the process, then made it policy. Managers who worked with other departments to increase Oracle’s operating margins were rewarded with bonuses; managers who refused to work together were removed from their positions. Very quickly, Oracle not only became a collaborative workspace, but improved its operating margins by nearly 50%.
   
   
3. Ask for what you want - Catz believes the willingness to ask for what you want, regardless of the audience or situation, is at the heart of every success. She says, 
   
   ​You have no idea how many business meetings I have sat through where a bunch of people on the same side of an issue convince themselves that on the other side, the answer is going to be “no,’” without ever asking. You have to ask if you want to get something. The only way you can be certain the answer is “no,” and of getting a negative outcome, is by not asking.
   
   If the team you lead needs additional time, resources, or even a modified approach to transition successfully through any change, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Your only guaranteed “no” is the request you don’t make. 
   
   
4.  Give your team the “why” and the “win” – Catz believes it’s important for leaders to understand and acknowledge the difficulties change presents to employees. “As much as people say they love change,” she says, “they love it when you change, not when you want them to change.” Whether we’re asking our teams to learn new skills or technology, or to approach known tasks in completely new ways, Catz says our approach, as leaders, makes all the difference. Specificity, she believes, is key. Take the time to explain the reason behind any change you ask your teammates to make, then provide tangible and immediate ways the effort will improve their daily work experience.
   
   Without a doubt, today’s leaders face an unprecedented time of disruption. But, time-proven leadership skills can help us navigate this transitioning environment. “To be successful,” Catz says, “you must see change almost like oxygen. You must go for it.” Challenge accepted.  

 
Let us equip you with effective leadership strategies from the world’s most successful business leaders. You bring the team members, and we’ll create an immersive, online-learning program, linking real-life examples with your individual workplace issues.