Leadership and Management of Change in Organizations

ISSN 2664-4002 (Print) & ISSN 2664-6714 (Online) South Asian Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Abbreviated Key Title: South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci | Volume-5 | Issue-3 | May-Jun -2023 | DOI: 10.36346/sarjhss.2023.v05i03.012 Original Research Article Leadership and Management of Change in Organizations Lawretta Adaobi Onyekwere1, Iniyomu Kelvin Ogona2, Nwachukwu Prince Ololube2* 1 Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria 2 Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Nigeria *Corresponding Author: Nwachukwu Prince Ololube Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Nigeria Article History Received: 18.04.2023 Accepted: 22.05.2023 Published: 19.06.2023 Abstract: This paper theoretically evaluated leadership and management of change in organizations, realizing that change management is a continuous method used in transitioning social, organizational, and psychological change of employees. The review focused on the change management processes that address leaders' and employees' attitudes and how change management is created, as a catalyst for possible changes in an organization. The purpose of change management is ultimately to make use of initiatives and ensure that every employee in an organization is willing and ready to switch over to an anticipated new role in the organization. This current study evaluated the relationship between evaluated management of change in organizational leadership, change, and organization, management of change, the importance of change management, and principles of change management, other areas visited are types of organizational change, popular models for managing change, overcoming resistance to change, challenges of change management, how change management are created viz-à-viz ideas, thoughts, feelings, plans, habits, commitment, lifestyle, and change. The review concluded that consistently and effectively navigating change requires strong leadership because, in the end, it is the employees who will execute the new strategy in their day-to-day work lives. Leaders must be able to inspire people through a strong vision, define the strategy, communicate effectively, support their employees, and maintain the energy and commitment to change through to completion. The study recommends amongst others that organizational leaders should not undermine the power of ideas in their move toward change management, and should not underestimate thoughts, feelings, plans, and habits as an essential component of the change management process . Keywords: Management of Change, Organizational, Leadership, Ideas, Thoughts, Feelings, Plans, Habits, Commitment, Lifestyle, Change. INTRODUCTION Leadership in different organizations is focused on moving the organizations from one level to another, especially from their present state to a proposed future. However, change management is a systematic approach that deals with the transition or transformation of organizational goals. No organization can afford to stand still while others are evolving with time (Daniel-Kalio & Ololube, 2019; Ololube & Ololube, 2017). There are always challenges in meeting better ways of doing things. But, every change you need to make should be planned and implemented with care; otherwise, it could end up doing more harm than good, this is where change management processes come in. It is a structured approach that ensures that changes are implemented thoroughly and smoothly—and have the desired impact (Mind Tools Content Team, 2022). The purpose of management of change is to implement the strategies of effecting change, controlling change, and helping people to adapt to change. Management of Change (MOC) is a systematic approach to dealing with organizational change. Although typically applied in industrial facilities and operations, it can be implemented in any workplace, especially for those that change their practices and processes from time to time. To be effective, the change management strategy must take into consideration how an adjustment or replacement will impact processes, systems, and employees within the organization. There must be a process for planning and testing change, communicating change, scheduling and implementing change, Copyright © 2023 The Author(s): This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for noncommercial use provided the original author and source are credited. CITATION: Lawretta Adaobi Onyekwere, Iniyomu Kelvin Ogona, Nwachukwu Prince Ololube (2023). Leadership and Management of Change in Organizations. South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci, 5(3): 96-106. 96 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106 documenting change, and evaluating its effects. Documentation is a critical component of change management, not only to maintain an audit trail should a rollback become necessary, but also to ensure compliance with internal and external controls, including regulatory compliance (Lawton & Pratt, 2022). Any form of change in an organization is introduced by leadership. As you grow in leadership, you deliberately surrender those rights and options and cling to serving the people, because leadership is about adding value and not getting perks (Maxwell, 2007 in Ogona & Ololube, 2022). Maxwell opined that upside-down leaders see solving problems as the fastest way of gaining leadership, instilling new values into the team, developing strong character, having a clear vision, and never allowing people‘s rejection of their leadership style to change their focus on achieving goals (Maxwell, 2007). He further stated that upside-down leaders are change agents who transform the traditional paradigm, they are first servants before leaders, hence, they are not swayed by their lengthy titles or intimidating statuses, but display a high sense of humility, responsibility, confidence, commitment, passion, and sacrifice. Upside-down leaders reverse the values and conduct of nearly every other leader with strong character that is necessary to maintain strong conduct. According to Ajayi (2002), the change leader needs the following capabilities:  Superhuman determination to make the change happen;  Persistence;  Stamina;  A sufficient mandate that stems from personal change; and  First-rate intelligence. Without strong leadership, effective organizational change won‘t ever be possible. Managing change effectively requires change leaders that can lead a team that dares to drive change properly in an existing system. As change is a transformation process, therefore the agents of change (leaders and management) must have to drive a supportive response to change from the stakeholders (Kotter, 2007). This paper addresses how change is created in organizations. The onus lies on leaders to consider the following factors if they must create valid changes in their organizations. These factors include ideas, thoughts, feelings, plans, habits, commitment, lifestyle, and change. These factors will be discussed holistically as the paper progresses. CONCEPTUAL MODIFICATIONS Leadership, Change, and Organization Defined The crux of leadership exegesis as gathered from different sources borders on impact, influence, inspiration, and motivation initiated by a leader on the followers. The leader is often perceived as the pathfinder, goal setter, and road map to achieving pre-determined goals. The outcome of any functional organization is largely dependent on the leadership prowess, tenacity, and proficiency of the leader (Ogona, 2020). In other words, if an organization succeeds, we hail the leader, but if it fails, we blame the leader, hence, the place of a leader in any given organization cannot be undermined. Leaders are pacesetters; they are expected to give the pathway and roadmap by providing clear vision and direction to all other members of the organization (Ogona & Ololube, 2022). There is no one strait-jacket definition of leadership as it can be approached in many different ways, perspectives, and patterns. According to Ololube et al., (2018), leadership is and can be defined as the act of inspiring a team with a vision and challenging them through regular motivation and follow-up to achieve goals with passion and utmost satisfaction. Good leadership increases team motivation, loyalty, and commitment to complete the end goal. It is very powerful if applied correctly and ensures the building blocks of behavior to promote the personal growth and development of individuals in an organization, program, or project. Leadership will also help define the culture, help guide and shape an organization's direction, and will also create harmony. This is achieved by key individuals showing excellent leadership skills which are important for any organization, company, program, or project. Good leadership inspires the team to actively own and solve problems, a key attribute to any good team. A leader, Manager or Project Manager cannot ―go it alone‖ as they require a strong team of individuals around them to support the common goal. Strong and stable leadership ensures that this has the best chance of success (Defining Leadership, 2018). Organizational change is defined as the ―adoption of a new idea or a behavior by an organization‖ (Sengupta, 2006, p. 2). Change is inevitable, whether it comes from organizational initiatives, evolving market conditions, or an external force that can't be anticipated or controlled. For organizations to survive, grow and thrive in the face of change, strong and effective change leadership is critical for success (Geldart, 2020). © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 97 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106 Management of Change This concept is centered on the changes that occur in organizations and how these changes are managed by leaders. In this paper, the concept of management of change (MOC) will be used interchangeably with change management (CM). Change management is a process that includes various skills i.e., leadership development (the ability of top management to get the trust of internal customers in them), marketing and sales ability (to make awareness about the consequences of change), and communication skill (gather support for the decision to change (Kaminski, 2000). Lack of any of these skills may have a bad impact on the effectiveness of the change management process in an organization. Change management is the process of guiding organizational change to fruition, from the earliest stages of conception and preparation, through implementation and, finally, to resolution. An effective management strategy is crucial to ensure businesses successfully transition and adapt to any changes that may occur (Miller, 2020). Importance of Change Management  As a conceptual business framework for people, processes, and the organization, change management increases the success of critical projects and improves a company's ability to adapt quickly.  Business change is constant and inevitable, and when poorly managed, it has the potential to cause organizational stress, as well as unnecessary and costly rework.  By standardizing the consistency and efficiency of assigned work, change management assures that the people side of an organization is not overlooked. As changes to work occur, change management helps employees understand their new roles and build a more process-driven culture.  Change management also encourages future company growth by enabling it to remain dynamic in the marketplace. Principles of Change Management In 2007, Kurt Lewin a German-American psychologist pioneered a revolution in social, organizational, and applied psychological change agents in the United States. He introduced a seminal book titled ―Principles of Topological Psychology‖ where he presented the three principles of change management built on the three stages: Unfreeze the Current State: On the issue of change agents, leaders need to identify what they want to change. At this stage, they need to formulate a "why" that other participants are likely to buy into. In essence, they need to reverseengineer the future state and translate this benefit to other possible participants. Then, they need to enroll people who can participate in the new idea. This could include executive sponsorship for a big change or co-workers for a departmental change. Change the System: At this stage, change agents and any collaborators can begin to put the change into practice. The change agents need to work with collaborators to communicate the idea and bring other participants on board. It is important to pay attention to any pushback and find areas of shared understanding to either help move the change forward or shift its implementation in response to feedback. Tensions might be high as everyone gets used to the new system. It's important to be respectful of their feelings and ideas. Refreeze: Eventually, people get used to the new system, or they revert to what was working before. At this stage, it is important to declare that the change is over—whether the change was accepted or rejected. Even if the change was rejected, declaring it over gives everyone a chance to relax. It is also helpful at this stage to document what happened for future reference. Figure 1: Steps in the Change Management Process Source: Modified and adopted from Miller (2020) © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 98 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106 The following are steps for managing changes that may occur within an organization as proposed by Miller (2020): 1. Prepare the Organization for Change For an organization to successfully pursue and implement change, it must be prepared both logistically and culturally. Before delving into logistics, cultural preparation must first take place to achieve the best business outcome. In the preparation phase, the manager is focused on helping employees recognize and understand the need for change. They raise awareness of the various challenges or problems facing the organization that is acting as forces of change and generating dissatisfaction with the status quo. Gaining this initial buy-in from employees who will help implement the change can remove friction and resistance later on. 2. Craft a Vision and Plan for Change Once the organization is ready to embrace change, managers must develop a thorough and realistic plan for bringing it about. The plan should detail:  Strategic Goals: What goals does this change help the organization work toward?  Key Performance Indicators: How will success be measured? What metrics need to be moved? What‘s the baseline for how things currently stand?  Project Stakeholders and Team: Who will oversee the task of implementing change? Who needs to sign off at each critical stage? Who will be responsible for implementation?  Project Scope: What discrete steps and actions will the project include? What falls outside of the project scope? While it is important to have a structured approach, the plan should also account for any unknowns or roadblocks that could arise during the implementation process and would require agility and flexibility to overcome. 3. Implement the Changes After the plan has been created, all that remains is to follow the steps outlined within it to implement the required change. Whether that involves changes to the company‘s structure, strategy, systems, processes, employee behaviors, or other aspects will depend on the specifics of the initiative. During the implementation process, change managers must be focused on empowering their employees to take the necessary steps to achieve the goals of the initiative and celebrate any short-term wins. They should also do their best to anticipate roadblocks and prevent, remove, or mitigate them once identified. Repeated communication of the organization‘s vision is critical throughout the implementation process to remind team members why change is being pursued. 4. Embed Changes within the Organization Culture and Practices Once the change initiative has been completed, change managers must prevent a reversion to the prior state or status quo. This is particularly important for organizational change related to business processes such as workflows, culture, and strategy formulation. Without an adequate plan, employees may backslide into the ―old way‖ of doing things, particularly during the transitory period. By embedding changes within the company‘s culture and practices, it becomes more difficult for backsliding to occur. New organizational structures, controls, and reward systems should all be considered as tools to help change stick. 5. Review Progress and Analyze Results Just because a change initiative is complete doesn‘t mean it was successful. Conducting analysis and review, or a ―project post mortem,‖ can help business leaders understand whether a change initiative was a success, failure, or mixed result. It can also offer valuable insights and lessons that can be leveraged in future change efforts. Types of Organizational Change Change management can be used to manage many types of organizational change. The three most common types are the following:  Developmental Change: Any organizational change that improves on previously established processes and procedures.  Transitional Change: Change moves an organization away from its current state to a new state to solve a problem, such as implementing a merger and acquisition or automating a task or process.  Transformational Change: Change that radically and fundamentally alters the culture and operation of an organization. In change, the result might not be known. For example, a company may pursue entirely different products or markets. Popular Models for Managing Change Best practice models can provide guiding principles and help managers align the scope of proposed changes. Popular models include the following put forward by Miller (2020): ADKAR: The ADKAR model, created by Prosci founder Jeff Hiatt, consists of five sequential steps:  Awareness of the need for change; © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 99 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106     Desire to participate and support the change; Knowledge of how to change; Ability to implement desired skills and behaviors; and Reinforcement to sustain the change. Bridges' Transition Model: Change consultant William Bridges' model focuses on how people adjust to change. The model features three stages: a stage for letting go, a stage of uncertainty and confusion, and an acceptance stage. Bridges' model has sometimes been compared to the Kübler-Ross five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Kotter's 8-Step Process for Leading Change: Harvard University professor John Kotter's model has eight steps:  Create a sense of urgency;  Build a guiding coalition;  Form a strategic vision and initiatives;  Enlist a volunteer army;  Enable action by removing barriers;  Generate short-term wins;  Sustain acceleration; and  Institute change. Lewin's Change Management Model: Psychologist Kurt Lewin (2007) created a three-step framework that is also referred to as the Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze. The idea here is that the name of the model came from the notion that an ice block cannot be forced, or obligated into a new shape without breaking. Instead, to achieves new transformations from one shape to another, firstly, it must be melted (unfreeze), secondly, poured into a new mold (change) and thirdly, frozen again in the new shape (refreeze). McKinsey 7-S: Business consultants Robert H. Waterman Jr. and Tom Peters designed a model to look holistically at seven factors that affect change:  Shared values;  Strategy;  Structure;  Systems;  Style;  Staff; and  Skills. Figure 2: How Change is Created Source: https://www.facebook.com/awaitedmillennial/photos/a.560942144423388/782560272261573/?type=3. The model above showed how change is created in organizations. The onus lies on leaders to consider the following factors if they must create valid changes in their organizations. These factors include ideas, thoughts, feelings, plans, habits, commitment, lifestyle, and change. © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 100 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106 Idea Every proposed change begins with an idea. The idea contains the vision, concepts, and expectations surrounding the leader‘s proposed change. Successful leaders anticipate, understand and address employees' and their followers‘ concerns to inspire them to support change rather than resist or fear it. By taking a human approach, they can generate the necessary buy-in and support for change (Geldart, 2020). To begin, leaders need to share a compelling vision that describes what the future state will look like, why the future is better than today and the benefits of supporting the way forward. A clear idea and vision help to ensure not only that everyone involved understands the benefits of changing, but that they feel a part of it and are on board with the changes that will need to happen. A Harvard Business Review study found that company leaders are more effective in building support for change when they communicate an idea (vision) that clearly explains what will change and what will stay the same (Geldart, 2020). When individuals can see what the end state will mean for them, they are less likely to experience anxiety or offer resistance to change. The visionary aspects of leadership are supported by communication skills that make the vision understandable, precise, powerful, and engaging. The followers are willing to invest more effort in their tasks; they are encouraged and optimistic about the future and believe in their abilities. Therefore, effective leaders who create change must be highly and creatively idealistic to challenge the status quo and introduce changes in the system. A real leader establishes clear aims and objectives and then spends most of his or her time finding a way to reach these goals. In other words, successful leaders are not just ideas people; they can work out the perfect execution to make those ideas a reality. Thoughts Leadership requires constant thought; if you‘re not thinking about a problem, then you‘re thinking about your people, or thinking about possibilities. Leaders are best known for their ability to think outside the box and see the bigger picture. Thoughtful leaders could sit and listen quietly during meetings and then share ideas from nowhere that you listen to and think that they are geniuses. Leaders can see both the pros and cons of an idea. They can disconnect from situations and conversations emotionally to consider every aspect before making any remarks or giving any feedback. To be a leader, you need to train your brain to connect the dots quickly and efficiently (Newlands, 2017). Nothing hurts a leader like small thinking. When you‘re at the top of the decision ladder, you need to bring your A-game to every situation. Pushing the envelope with creativity and vision is essential for a leader. The reason is simple: everyone else will try and talk your ideas down. And that‘s good, you need people on your team who will challenge you and reign you in. But that means it‘s your job to think big so that the ideas you settle on aren‘t too small. Big thinking isn‘t reckless thinking either. It‘s just big. You are responsible for the big picture, and big picture thinking by nature cannot be small, otherwise, we‘d call it small picture thinking. Reality still must come into play, but that doesn‘t mean you can‘t define a new, larger reality to chase (Maxwell, 2019). Leaders should be thinking about how to grow your people and encourage them to grow themselves. You should be thinking about which people have leadership potential and how you can develop that within your organization. You should be thinking about which people solve problems, take initiative, and add value to the mission so you can move faster, go farther, and do more. And you should be thinking about other ways you can add value to people as their leaders. Because without other people, you‘re not a leader—you‘re just a person with a mission looking for a team Leaders think with focus, leadership thinking requires focus. That‘s because a leader rarely has two consecutive good days on the job, which means a leader has to be intentional about thinking and be intentional while thinking. Intentionality about thinking is a matter of schedule and priority. If you make thinking a priority (and you should), then putting time on your calendar for thinking is the next natural step. Intentionality with thinking is a matter of consistency. It means eliminating excuses and distractions. I have a lot of young leaders on my teams, and it‘s not uncommon for them to lament the amount of overwhelm they experience—and not just because we keep them busy (Maxwell, 2019). Every leader knows what it means to be overwhelmed—to have more problems or possibilities than you know how to handle. Overwhelming is normal, and intentional thinking is the best antidote. Nothing combats too many ideas like focusing on one or two, just like nothing destroys a creative block like jotting down as many ideas as possible. You need to be a goal-setter who knows how to execute an efficient plan that will allow you and your business to achieve your chosen objectives. Instead of thinking of the who, what, where, and when, try thinking about how and what needs to be done to stay ahead of the competition. Reflecting before you act, speak, respond, or engage your emotions will give your perspective (Maxwell, 2019). Reflective thinking is the only way you can distance yourself from a situation. Before acting on anything, you need to understand other people's perspectives, emotions, and thoughts. From there, you can make an educated decision regarding the best path toward success. Leaders are more than just delegators; they get their hands dirty, and when the going gets tough, they keep going. To be a successful leader, you need motivation, drive, passion, and the ability to think outside the box a leader © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 101 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106 doesn't complete a task with no questions asked. Leaders execute everything with a specific set of objectives in mind. As a leader, it's important to have a reason for doing everything you do; if you don't, it may mean you are taking on unnecessary tasks. Leaders are motivated by rewards, and whether or not that reward is tangible, it should drive you toward fulfilling your purpose. To have a leader's mindset, you must be 100 percent sure of what you need to achieve and how it will benefit you and your organization. A leader already knows the goals and objectives; the most important part is how these are going to be achieved. Leaders spend up to 20 percent of their time thinking about the ‗what‘ and 80 percent or more thinking about the ‗how‘. Often, leaders don't succeed because they think of a eureka idea, bark orders, and aren't able to understand why these orders haven't been met. Leaders don't sit and wait for an opportunity to arise; they think long and hard about innovative ways to take their ideas to the next level. Once they know the ‗how‘, they calculate risk versus reward and establish whether or not the risk is worth it. People who dare to jump in at the deep end in an intelligent and calculated manner come out swimming a lot quicker than those who sit around waiting for something to land in front of them. Feelings Emotions are what make us human. Try as we might, we cannot deny the role emotions play in the workplace. It is widely recognized that understanding and expressing our emotions is important for our well-being and happiness, and our work life is no exception. Even a cursory look at the anatomy of work organizations will reveal that they are made up of machines, tools, buildings, furniture, and most importantly, human beings. It is noteworthy, that humans who constitute the soul of enterprises have been given scant attention as managers zealously and pedantically take care of machines leaving the human side of organizations unattended. Denga (2015) in Ogona (2022) asserted that the most important aspect of an organization is the human side. Therefore, understanding the workers‘ complex behavior including their need patterns, dispositions, attitudes, dislikes, motives, and personal peculiarities will assist the manager in providing the necessary conditions for organizational growth. Human behavior is complex, which is an aggregate of traits such as emotions, attitudes, interests, dislikes, needs, aspirations, self-concepts, temperaments, interpersonal relationships, reactions to stimuli and weaknesses, and so on (Ogona, 2022). Many organizations are beginning to acknowledge that our feelings impact our subsequent work behaviors in meaningful ways. Recently there has been a particular emphasis placed on the importance of emotional intelligence at work and learning to identify our feelings at the moment and becoming in tune with our emotions. When people are aware of their feelings, they enhance their ability to communicate their feelings to themselves and others, manage conflict, and build professional connections. Understanding our emotions also helps us ultimately regulate our emotions in the workplace, as identifying our emotional triggers and taking the time to reflect on our feelings can help us better manage our responses. Recognizing our emotions is particularly important for regulating our reactions during moments of high stress. We can think of emotional self-awareness as an important first step in appropriately controlling our feelings. Plan As Benjamin Franklin said, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." Great leaders know this well and would never risk their chances of success by ignoring the need to plan. This means they proactively plan and organize strategies before making and implementing decisions. As well as planning for milestone events, they're also able to take a step back from the day-to-day tasks to make sure that overall, the business is heading in the right direction to achieve growth and success. If it isn't, they have the opportunity to work towards meaningful changes to produce the desired result (Madhosingh, 2021). The leader's planning and coordination activities are where team members are most likely to develop their performance plans. Managing programs, projects, and activities can be tough. If they‘re poorly planned, the organization can run into delays, miss deadlines, go over budget, or face disappointed clients. To mitigate these risks, businesses need to equip their managers with good project planning skills. This way, they will be able to align goals, set reasonable deadlines, streamline processes, identify possible problem areas, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of each team member. This leadership training topic is also vital for eliminating wasteful activities that might deplete important resources like time and money (Avelino, 2022). Planning is a very essential factor for changes to be formulated and implemented in organizations. Habits The day-to-day actions performed repeatedly by leaders from their habit. Before changes can happen in organizations, leaders must first change their habits. Many habits distinguish average leaders from great ones. It was Shakespeare that once postulated that it is an act of foolishness to do the same thing repeatedly and expect different results. Therefore, what we consider as changes in formal organizations begins with changes in leaders‘ habits. Effective leadership is the difference between a mediocre leader and a great one. Not only that, but strong leadership creates a strong workforce. Research shows one of the most common reasons employees in the US are unhappy in their jobs is due © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 102 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106 to negative management. They feel less stressed and under pressure when they're able to engage with leaders well. John Quincy Adams, the sixth US President, said, "When your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a true leader." And Theodore M. Hesburgh, the President of the University of Notre Dame, said the very essence of leadership is "that you have to have a vision – you can't blow an uncertain trumpet" (Madhosingh, 2021). Leaders should develop the habit of admitting and acknowledging mistakes. Mistakes happen to all of us, and making one isn't a sign of poor leadership. When a leader makes a mistake, the worst thing they can do is ignore it or pretend it didn't happen. In fact, through learning from mistakes, leaders have the opportunity to build a more robust workforce. This sends a message to their team that they either don't care about what's happened, they're completely unaware of it or it's more important to look good than take responsibility. In turn, employees will lose trust in that leader and eventually, they'll lose respect, too. A great leader will do the opposite. They'll assess and analyze what happened. They'll admit any errors or blunders, and their main focus will be working out what happened, what there is to learn from the experience, and how it can be avoided in the future. Many leaders will bring their employees on, explaining why they did what they did, and moving towards improving it. Why? Because this transparency builds trust and openness with colleagues, which studies show is the foundation of many solid relationships. When you have a workplace full of strong relationships, even if mistakes are made, it leads to high employee engagement (Madhosingh, 2021). Effective leaders always form the habit of listening to their employees. By doing so, they can understand how their employees work. They can understand their strengths and weaknesses. They can understand what leadership style is most effective for them. The effective leader knows that listening to feedback and ideas is a form of positive reinforcement—it lets the employee know that he is contributing and is a valuable member of the team. If a leader neglects to listen, she runs the risk of being disconnected from real problems within the business. That can have ramifications down the road when these problems escalate. By listening and acting accordingly, effective managers can avert disaster and encourage team-building. Consciously or unconsciously, we pick cues from our environments and act accordingly. When a leader comes and leaves work before everyone else, members of the team will generally follow suit. When they see how their leader handles conflict in the office, they take note. A highly caring and competent leader will inspire fierce loyalty. That care and competence will spread across the team, reducing office politics and speeding up the execution (Ololube, 2019). Commitment Commitment is very important since it positively influences the organizational effectiveness and well-being of employees. There are various ways through which the concept of commitments is measured as well as defined. Commitment in organizations is going about the feeling of responsibility, engagement, or positive orientation of the person to the organization/target/work, etc. (Missioura, 2014). The commitment of the leader to the company is going through an emotional bond or obligation. Kiue (2010) stated that the behaviors of top-level leadership play an imperative role in the institute. Leaders are very important elements in the success of any type of organization. Highly competent leaders are an important source that contributes to the establishment of an environment that helps to achieve institutional goals (Bibi & Akhtar, 2020). As effective leaders have been shown ―to be predicative of attitudes and performance in organizations, the question was raised regarding whether other leadership behaviors would also be predictive the same way‖ Cascio and Aguinis (2010), p.14). It has been suggested in the studies about management literature that ―top management commitment may have a great impact on organizational practices‖ (Babakus et al., 2003, p.34 in Bibi & Akhtar, 2020). According to Meyer and Herscovitch (2001), ―there are various forms of commitment in the workplace and they have the potential to influence organizational practices‖ (p. 78). Great leaders are needed by all organizations since they positively influence their co-workers and help to achieve organizational goals. The commitment of leadership is key to the outcome of organizations (Kieu, 2010). Thus, those leaders who have proved to be committed play a vital role to develop a suitable environment that renders organizational effectiveness (Cascio & Aguinis, 2010). Few things in life get done without discipline. Time use is a discipline. Maintaining our health requires discipline. Growing a career is a disciplined act. Discipline is the lubricant of success. Without it, the wheels of progress get rusty and stop turning. Instant gratification is the enemy of discipline. Patience is the friend of self-mastery. It allows time to think deeper and better so we avoid serious leadership mistakes. Being in control requires discipline. Being in control allows the opportunity to achieve the pinnacle of personal success (Arcement, 2017). Lifestyle A lifestyle of leadership is your set of values. These values help guide the way you conduct yourself throughout all avenues of your life. It affects the way you lead, how you respond to people, and what your purpose is. Leaders have their lifestyle of leadership composed of their values (Tuason, 2020). Leaders build a culture of a positive lifestyle in © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 103 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106 their members by nurturing and celebrating their values. When you nurture your values, you increase the likelihood that consistent and positive behavior and choices will be made by your team in all aspects of their life. In other words, when you develop your Lifestyle of Leadership and truly embody it through how you carry yourself through work and life, you‘re destined for sustainability and growth. Leaders can calculate their lifestyle of leadership according to Tuason (2020), through the following ways:  Meet With Your Team,  Brainstorm Words & Phrases That Make You Unique,  Narrow Down Your List to 3-7 Values,  Convert Your Values to a Visual Tool,  Be a Cheerleader for Your Lifestyle of Leadership. No man is an island and by no means is managers an island. We all need somebody to love. We all need relationships. If a leader fails to build relationships, it‘s time to seek other employment. You grow your effectiveness as you build relationships. Become the master of relationships and watch your leadership respectability soar. Interacting on a personal level enhances the ability to work together and forge a bond. Leaders who build relationships create a bond of trust. They communicate openly, honestly, and with candor. The truthfulness factor is a critical component of relationship building. The most important element in forging any relationship begins with caring. If I care for you as a human being, I open the door to growing our relationship. Hate is not a door opener. Indifference can shut the door. Only by looking for the likability factor in others can we get our foot in the door. Change Whether big or small, change is something that every organization goes through. Both seasoned leaders and new ones alike can have a tough time navigating these situations. As leaders, it‘s important to know how to cope with change and effectively communicate it with your team. This also includes dealing with new challenges, workflow disruptions, and feedback from your employees. With this leadership training topic, you‘ll be able to guide your team to overcome common obstacles brought about by changes and still work efficiently and productively. Every living creature is reluctant to change, whether it‘s a planned change or accidental change. Respondents of change are affected by both external factors (outside the organization) and internal factors (inside the organization); the study reveals that internal factors are the management style and leadership that influence the process of change (Chirimbu, 2011). (Smith, 2005) considered the inherent conundrum of organizational change: that people, the human resources of organizations, are both an essential factor in organizational change and, at times, the biggest obstacles to achieving change. Therefore, it is concluded that an important element for a successful change in any organization is ―Leadership‖ (Sidra et al., n.d.). For a successful organization, change is meant to be implemented at three different levels, i.e., individual, group, and organization. At every level of change, leadership plays a different role as it‘s the virtual duty of a leader to manage the people and make their efforts to be at their best in favor of change for an organization. Change management is an essential area of concentration for the healthy growth of any business, it is important even for the survival of any organization in today‘s business world. Successful change in any organization is impossible without the active participation of management (Sidra et al., n.d.). Overcoming Resistance to Change In general, no one likes to change, even if it is for the better in some way. Here are some best practices to help mitigate this resistance to change:  Clarify the goal of the change being made, and identify how it can benefit others.  Listen to objections, and find ways to address them.  Take the time to build consensus rather than bulldoze dissenters.  Consider feedback as a guide rather than an obstacle.  Celebrate success at the end to plant the seeds for further change.  Be willing to backtrack when the change does not meet desired goals. Challenges of Change Management Organizations developing a change management program from the ground up often face daunting challenges. In addition to a thorough understanding of company culture, the change management process requires an accurate accounting of the systems, applications, and employees to be affected by a change. Additional change management challenges include the following: © South Asian Research Publication, Bangladesh Journal Homepage: www.sarpublication.com 104 Sangdeog Augustin Kim., South Asian Res J Human Soc Sci; Vol-5, Iss-3 (May-Jun, 2023): 96-106       Resource Management: Managing the physical, financial, human, informational, and intangible assets and resources that contribute to an organization's strategic plan becomes increasingly difficult when implementing change. Resistance: The executives and employees who are most affected by a change may resist it. Since change may result in unwanted extra work, ongoing resistance is common. Transparency, training, planning, and patience can help quell resistance and improve overall morale. Communication: Companies often fail to consistently communicate change initiatives or include employees in the process. Change-related communication requires an adequate number of messages, the involvement of enough stakeholders to get the message out, and multiple communication channels. New Technology: The application of new technologies can disrupt an employee's entire workflow. Companies can improve the adoption of new technology by creating a network of early learners who champion the new technology to colleagues. Multiple Points of View: In any change initiative, success factors differ for people based on their roles in the organization and incentives. Managing these various priorities is challenging. Scheduling Issues: Deciding whether a change program will be long or short-term and clearly defining milestone deadlines are complicated. Some organizations believe that shorter change programs are the most effective. Others believe a more gradual approach to change reduces resistance and errors. CONCLUSION It is never a question of whether there will be a change in an organization, the question is only when and how to implement it successfully. Consistently and effectively navigating change requires strong leadership because, in the end, it is your employees who will execute the new strategy in their day-to-day work life. Leaders must be able to inspire people through a strong vision, define the strategy, communicate effectively, support their employees, and maintain the energy and commitment to change through to completion. Leadership must be innovative in such a way as to enthrone changes from time to time. The upside leader is one who always embraces changes in organizations. The upside-down leader understands that as one rises on the leadership ladder, your rights begin to decrease, giving way to more responsibilities. Therefore, your focus as a leader becomes the needs of the organization, people, clients, business partners, and teams. The model above showed how change is created in organizations. The onus lies on leaders to consider the following factors if they must create valid changes in their organizations. These factors include ideas, thoughts, feelings, plans, habits, commitment, lifestyle, and change. The application of the aforementioned factors will ultimately create changes in organizations especially educational institutions globally. RECOMMENDATIONS From the review carried out, it is recommended that:  Organizational leaders should not undermine the power of ideas in their move toward change management;  Organizational leaders should not underestimate thoughts as an essential component of the change management process;  Organizational leaders should note the place of human feelings in the change management process and how it is created;  Organizational leaders should realize that any leader who fails to plan and planned to fail, therefore planning is essential in the change management process,  Organizational leaders and employees' habits toward change management must be given appropriate attention;  Organizational leaders' commitment and employees' obligations should be taken seriously because they are important in the change management creation;  Organizational leaders' lifestyles should be held in high esteem, and any attempt to undermine it will lead to a possible failure of the change management process; and  Organizational leaders' change management creation should not undermine the first seven steps in the change management process. 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