Leadership and Change Management Training is a 2-3 day development program designed for middle and senior managers. The better an organization manages large-scale change such as digital transformation, the ESG transition, M&A integration or restructuring, the more successful it becomes. According to McKinsey research, 70% of transformation projects fail not for technical reasons but due to shortcomings in managing people and culture. By combining leadership skills with change management methodology, this training builds managers' capacity to carry transformations through to success.
Course Content
- Leadership vs. Management: The difference between what a manager does and what a leader does; transactional and transformational leadership.
- Kotter's 8-Step Change Model: Creating a sense of urgency, building a coalition, communicating the vision, removing obstacles, short-term wins, momentum and making change stick.
- ADKAR Model (Individual Change): Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement; the leader's role at each stage.
- Resistance Management: Types of resistance (open, hidden, passive); the real reasons behind resistance; effective intervention methods.
- Communication Strategy: Vision communication, multi-channel communication and the storytelling technique.
- Team Motivation: Intrinsic and extrinsic motivators; performance management; the art of feedback.
- Decision Making: Decision making under uncertainty; agility; the cost of indecision.
- Conflict Management: Constructive conflict; tensions between teams; ethical dilemmas.
- Coaching and Mentoring: Developing employees as a manager; asking questions; active listening.
Typical Change Scenarios
- ERP or major IT system migration
- Digital transformation project
- Organizational restructuring
- Post-M&A integration
- New market entry or market exit
- Sustainability / ESG strategy transition
- New business model (e.g. subscription or service-based)
- Corporate culture transformation
- Lean manufacturing transition
- Hybrid working model adaptation
Hands-On Workshop Exercises
The training is not limited to theoretical presentation; it is delivered through hands-on exercises:
- Writing a vision letter
- Stakeholder mapping workshop
- Difficult conversations role-play
- Group work on resistance scenarios
- Drafting a "30/60/90 day" change plan
- Case study: analysis of successful and unsuccessful change examples
- 360-degree feedback simulation
Learning Outcomes
- Recognizing and developing your leadership style
- Command of the Kotter and ADKAR models
- Identifying and managing types of resistance
- Effective vision communication
- Storytelling skills
- The capacity to hold difficult conversations
- Increasing team motivation and engagement
- Decision making under uncertainty
- Conflict management
- Coaching and mentoring skills
Target Audience
| Level | Typical Positions |
|---|---|
| First-line manager | Team leader, supervisor, coordinator |
| Middle manager | Manager, department head, branch manager |
| Senior manager | Director, deputy general manager, function head |
| General manager and C-suite | CEO, CFO, COO; in a separate executive coaching format |
Leadership is a discipline that can be learned. Leaders are not born; they are made. This training is a structured part of the process of transforming a manager into a leader.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is consulting support available after the training?
Yes. For organizations that wish, 3-6 months of coaching/mentoring support following the training is optional. One-on-one support is provided for managers' day-to-day challenges.
- Does this training replace an MBA program?
No. An MBA is an academic program that provides broad management knowledge. This training is a professional development program that builds specific leadership skills quickly and through hands-on practice. The two programs complement each other.
- Which management level is it best suited to?
Middle and senior managers. It is also suitable for newly promoted first-line managers; however, a separate executive format is more effective for the C-suite level.
- What is the training schedule?
The training is offered either as a 2-3 day intensive block or in a modular format of half a day per week over 6 weeks. The modular format provides the opportunity to put the concepts learned into practice.