11 Success Traits of Change Leaders

1. Understand and demonstrate a deep commitment to the changes. Your actions speak louder than your words. Consistently show others that you are committed to the changes.
2. Listen to what others are saying as well as not saying. While informing others of the focus and strategies of the change are essential, it is also important to listen. Try this: Actively listen 80% of the time. Others will learn that they are important and that you care.
3. Define a focus (vision) and stay with it. It is easy to side-step and get distracted, especially when resistance to the desired change shows up. Stay the course. Don't lose sight of the goal.
4. Understand the implications of decisions and their impact on people then make appropriate modifications to plans. Sometimes change leaders make simple decisions that have dramatic impacts on processes and people without even realizing it. Increase your understanding of those implications. Be sensitive to the impacts of decisions on others. People are your greatest resources.
5. Think strategically and tactically. While creating strategy can be enjoyable and rewarding, strategy without action is wasted. Be sure tactics are carried out to support strategic decisions.
6. Being well-organized and able to help others stay organized. During the chaos of change resources (including time) can become limited, stay organized. Help others around you to be highly productive as well.
7. Demonstrate a sense of reality about the changes. Grand ideas do not always result in grand solutions. Be realistic about what you expect of yourself and others. In addition, those involved and affected by the change need to understand the consequences of support (and not supporting) the changes.
8. Communicate the focus, the plan, the successes and the realities of the change. It is easier to under-communicate than over-communicate during periods tremendous change. Think first about what others need and want to know, then communicate, communicate, and communicate. A good rule of thumb: communicate important messages at least five times using at least three different forms (e.g., email, face-to-face, memo, etc.).
9. Identify the implications of the change. Changes are more likely to get implemented if those affected are well aware of the consequences of embracing the change. These consequences likely have both positive and negative side.
10. Demonstrate respect, faith and trust in others. The people around you are your most valuable resource. In many organizations, the costs of personnel are the largest budget expense. You hired (or retain) the employees, respect them, trust them, and listen to them.
11. Get others involved. If you want to have something implemented well, pass the "ownership" to others. The best ideas truly come from those closest to the changes. Get as many people as possible involved. It will help create inertia for your change.

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