In business, people tend to use “transformation” and “change” as synonyms, blurring the differences between change management and transformational leadership. However, these concepts are not the same, and it is important to understand the end goals of each when attempting to implement change in your organization.
What is Change Management?
Change management is the process by which leaders manage the people experiencing a change in order to achieve the desired outcome. It involves leveraging organizational tools to help employees transition through and adapt to alterations to the way in which work is done.
What is Transformational Leadership?
Transformational leaders create a vision for the future and guide their team to achieve their goals through inspiration. They focus on motivation and morale, and help connect team members’ senses of identity to their projects and goals, and help to shape the collective identity of the group. They typically act as a role model for the team, empowering members of the group to take greater ownership of their tasks and outcomes. Transformational leaders often step out of the traditional mold and aren’t afraid to challenge widely held beliefs.
Change Vs. Transformation
To “change” something simply means to replace one thing with another. You change a process from one set of procedures to something new. You change managers when someone receives a promotion.
When you transform something, you make a complete and dramatic change, usually into something improved. All transformation is change, but not all change is transformation. Change modifies actions through external influence, but transformation modifies the belief system of a team so that the end result can be realized.
The differences are subtle, but they inform the goals of change management and transformational leadership.
“CSS believes in the EOS Process (Entrepreneurial Operating System) which has significantly helped our company go through both change and transformation. We created multiple layers of management and brought real transparency with a higher ROI!” says Sharon Tsao, CAO & EVP Sales, Marketing & Accounting.
How The Goals Differ
The goal of transformational leadership is to bring new ideas and possibilities into reality. It is much broader and sweeping than change management, as it goes beyond a limited scope of changing processes or procedures. The goal of change management is to improve business outcomes by changing the way work is done, and to minimize the impact of change on the daily operations of the team.
When you take a close look at transformational leadership vs. change management, you can see that transformation is really about a shift in culture, while change is about a shift in the approach to work.
Changing and transforming an organization are never easy, but it is important to have the right leaders and influencers in place. Reach out to the HR recruiting experts at Contemporary Staffing Solutions to discuss your goals for the future, and we will help you develop a strategy that will ensure you get there. To learn more, contact CSS today.