Leading and Managing Through Change
Equip leaders to guide people through uncertainty, build commitment, and turn change into sustained action.
Who This Is For
Leaders, managers, and project sponsors who are responsible for helping teams navigate organizational change — whether that includes a new strategy, structure, system, process, culture shift, or way of working.
Course Description
Change succeeds or stalls through the day-to-day leadership of managers.
This practical, interactive workshop equips leaders with the mindset, language, and tools to lead people through change with greater clarity, confidence, and consistency. Participants learn how to make sense of change from the employee perspective, communicate the “why” in a meaningful way, respond constructively to resistance, and create the conditions that help new ways of working take hold.
Using a practical, proven change framework, participants apply the tools directly to a real change initiative in their organization. The result is a clearer plan for engaging stakeholders, supporting their teams, and sustaining momentum beyond the initial launch.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this program, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish the leadership responsibilities involved in guiding people through change
- Understand the common human responses to change and uncertainty
- Communicate change with clarity, relevance, and consistency
- Identify key stakeholders and tailor engagement approaches accordingly
- Recognize and respond constructively to resistance and concerns
- Create practical actions to build understanding, commitment, and adoption
- Apply the learning to a current or upcoming change initiative
Course Outline
- Welcome, objectives, and the case for effective change leadership
- Change leadership versus change management
- The people side of change: why change can be difficult
- Understanding the change journey and common responses to uncertainty
- The leader’s role in creating clarity, confidence, and connection
- Communicating the why, what, and how of change
- Building a clear and compelling change message
- Identifying stakeholders and understanding their needs
- Engaging teams early and meaningfully
- Recognizing and responding to resistance
- Supporting people through transition while maintaining performance
- Creating practical change actions and reinforcing new ways of working
- Applying the tools to real workplace change initiatives
- Peer consultation and change action planning
Preparation Steps
- Bring a current or upcoming change initiative that you are leading or supporting
- Reflect on a previous change experience: what helped, what created challenges, and what you would do differently
- Identify the people or groups most affected by the change
Sustainment & Post-Work
- Finalize and begin implementing a practical change action plan
- Communicate the change narrative with key stakeholders
- Hold team conversations to surface concerns, questions, and support needs
- Identify actions to reinforce adoption over the first 30, 60, and 90 days
- Participate in optional peer coaching or follow-up sessions to share progress and challenges
Assessment Method
Participant progress is assessed through preparation activities, active participation in workshop discussions and exercises, and the application of tools to a real workplace change initiative. Participants leave with a practical action plan that can be reviewed with their manager, sponsor, or peers.
Course Customization Options
This program can be tailored to your organization’s context, strategic priorities, and current change initiatives. Customization options include incorporating organization-specific language, values, leadership expectations, communication approaches, and real business scenarios.
