Leading Through Transition

In their excellent book, entitled “Leading with Authenticity in Times of Transition,” Kerry Bunker and Michael Wakefield describe 12 competencies that leaders need during times of transition. They offer a graphic illustration of how the competencies can be overdone, underdone, or “about right.” The about right area is very narrow.

The “narrowness” of getting it just right indicates how difficult it is to lead through a period of transition. A leader must not only have the 12 competencies, but know when he or she is overdoing or underdoing.

To add further complexity to the challenge, Bunker and Wakefield point out that all 12 competencies must remain in balance. They use the analogy of the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Avid cyclists know they must adjust the tension of each spoke of their wheels to keep their wheels “true.” This process, called “truing,” is critical for high performance.

Staying with the bicycle wheel analogy, Bunker and Wakefield illustrate their “Transition Leadership Wheel.” The model show trust as the hub with twelve spokes representing the competencies needed to effectively lead during times of transition.

The twelve spokes or competencies are:

∙ catalyzing change
∙ coping with transition
∙ sense of urgency
∙ realistic patience
∙ being tough
∙ being empathetic
∙ optimism
∙ realism and openness
∙ self-reliance
∙ trusting others
∙ capitalizing on strengths
∙ going against the grain

While the list is intimidating at first glance, don’t worry, Bunker and Wakefield offer detailed guidance and helpful worksheets to assist leaders in developing these competencies. This compact guidebook, only 100 pages in length, is a small on time demands but big on valuable advice.

For more resources on organizational and individual effectiveness topics, check out my newsletter/blog archive on website www.mikebeitler.com or read my book, “Strategic Organizational Change, Second Edition.”