The transformation of the city state of Singapore in 50 years from a swamp into a powerhouse economy of the 21st century by the late Lee Juan Yew is one example of a highly successful transformational change, albeit by an autocratic leader.

This transition was achieved by a powerful vision, self-belief, the iron will of its architect, a loyal following and the sometimes extreme activities such as the incarceration of opponents. You may be relieved (or not) to learn that such extremes are not required to achieve and manage change within your business.

Lee Juan Yew did understand that without a vision and self-belief, change will not happen. This is true for your own success as a transformer. People look for reassurance that whatever change they are about to experience is related to a powerful vision that will create a legacy for them. If your vision is inspiring, itwill galvanise and energise your executors of change.

The ingredients of a great leader

Transforming a business requires a clear outline of what the business will look like post-change. This is overlooked by leaders as the fluff before the hard work of strategising and implementation, but it is the most crucial aspect of leading a successful change.

If the change is transformational, where the business is completely changing direction, you will have to assess the revised landscape which you will be operating in and gather some real market intelligence on your competitors and clients (current and future).

There is no point changing direction if your organisation doesn’t have the agility to keep up with your new competitors in this unknown landscape. It is helpful to get some outside opinion from people who understand the markets and will ask difficult questions.

It doesn't have to be a lengthy engagement with consultancy houses, but a short intervention which brings the change architects together and challenges their vision and assumptions.

For the best results, segment

Whether you require your change to be total quality management, re-engineering, right-sizing, restructuring, cultural change, or turnaround, consider how you can engage your teams and realisers of change to make it happen.

As one of the most prolific writers on change, Kotter, says “You know, you have made a big step forward, when you see people, lots of people, raise their hands, rather than pointing fingers”.

Engendering a mood which will engage people rather than frustrate them is a key ingredient of this. You can do it by engaging people early on in the process and encouraging them to help you build the vision and understand how they can add to the change.

"It is not about how fast you get off the block, but how strong you finish"

This will give them time to get used to a new paradigm but also a forum to channel their fears (unfounded or not). When faced with change most people - particularly older workers - feel a sense of powerlessness and helplessness.

It is important not to dismiss this group as they have huge experience of how the organisation operates and will be extremely important to ensuring the change can be translated into a sensible operational reality.

However, for younger people, such as generation Y, it can be seen as an opportunity to increase their status in the company and they will be more eager to be part of the change. They may be naïve  but are a valuable source of energy and enthusiasm.

People will change their minds if you explain the context of a transformation

Having a variation of demographics is healthy in an organisation but leading them all through change will require agile leadership. In a study of reforms in the NHS by Ashridge’s Day and Lubitsh, they found that establishing quality relationships was the most powerful means in enabling organisational and behaviour change.

This type of leadership requires lots of listening and building trust, all which of which can take time. The good news is that these skills can be developed by leaders to understand that although the needs of the organisation are rational, most employees are primarily emotional beings.

It can include coaching, traditional leadership development and some introducing some action research behaviours where leaders in their own context of change use a process of repeated cycles of action and reflection, echoing the plan-do-observe-reflect learning cycle of Kolb (1984) and others.

This approach which is reflected by in most of the leadership development initiatives at Ashridge Business school is a powerful means of transforming leaders and uses intellectual, practical, experiential, tacit, emotional, expressive, and intuitive activities.

Transformation: The new In-demand skill?

The big question which we need to ask as we try and create sustainable organisations which move beyond shareholder value, is how organisations can move beyond short terms profiteering and indifference to their employees?

Some key questions we challenge our executives with relate to whether speed and high growth rates the only way to demonstrate success. It has become very trendy over the past twenty years to follow a change strategy of leaning organisations. It is a demonstrable way to reduce costs and demonstrate a better margin for your shareholders.

However, most business have severely damaged their DNA in the process and studies show that most business who use this approach reduce their overall life cycle substantially. It is a short-term modular approach which can wreak much havoc and destruction in its path and result in a lean organisation which is empty of real talent, commitment and passion.

These qualities are often the ingredients of entrepreneurial thinking when organisations are first established and how can we expect to grow without these aspects? When you think about change, think beyond lean and cost reduction. Think about your people and how your organisation can achieve its vision through them.

At Ashridge, Piepenbrock’s theoretical framework on the evolution of business ecosystems challenges organisations to think about how to maximise stakeholder surplus as opposed to shareholder value.

This theory advocates organisations nurturing their stakeholders such as suppliers, employees and the local community which engenders long terms commitment for success.

It offers contemporary organisations a brave alternative to the traditional route of short term efficiencies and the fashionable and abhorrent practices of those demonstrating how much havoc they have wreaked in their the first 100 days of leadership.

Leaving the final word to Kotter: In the end, it is not about how fast you get off the block, but how strong you finish. The antithesis of this can be found on most epitaphs of failed change initiatives.