6 tips for CEOs leading change

In the not-so-distant past, the biggest question I’d get as a CEO was cut and dry: “What’s our plan?”  Today, leaders across industries face a different, core question: “Are we built for change?” 

Unprecedented disruption is upon us, and just about every organization needs to transform quickly, in a big way.

Having led five organizations, I have always architected and executed change as a core part of my remit. After decades of this work, I can confidently say that the formulas and frameworks that have worked for decades are no longer what we need. Because these unprecedented times call for something new, here are my top six tips for leading through change today.

1. Don’t equate deciding with doing. It’s one thing to sit around a boardroom table and align on a new strategy with your leadership team. Executing that strategy is different, and it largely falls to your employees doing the day-to-day work. Executives’ top hurdle to transformation is a disconnect between strategy and execution, based on a recent report we released. Change can create confusion and frustration when expectations aren’t clear or supported. As a result, even well-aligned strategies often break down in execution and change initiatives fail.

2. Make sure your employees feel seen. Change can greatly disrupt daily work. Your team needs to feel that their contributions matter and that their efforts feed into something larger than the task at hand. According to a study from BCG, when employees were explicitly told why their role in a change initiative is important to the company, they were 54% more likely to support the change.

3. Balance your long-term vision with short-term pressures. Agility is non-negotiable if you want to thrive through constant change. This agility should extend beyond an IT department or individual product team—it should span across your enterprise. BCG surveyed 127 companies found that while 94% started change initiatives, only 53% achieved their targets and created meaningful change.

4. Choose continuous reinvention over self-preservation. Don’t fall for the one-and-done mindset. Adaptability is no longer a one-time response to disruption. It is a core enterprise capability. Change is accelerating faster than most organizations can build at the capacitythey can absorb it. In fact, 93% of senior executives say they must rethink or reinvent their business model or operating approach at least every five years, with nearly 65% doing so every two years or faster.

5. Commit to your purpose. This is your guiding star. In times of change, keeping your organization aligned with a clear vision is essential. A strong purpose builds resilience and enables teams to march forward—as opposed to muddle through disruption. This is a make-or-break moment for leaders. A CEO might be able to weather a bad quarter, maybe even a year of poor financial results, but never the lack of absolute clarity about the long term with buy-in from all stakeholders.

6. Lead with radical transparency. Let’s be honest. We are living through a moment where most leaders are making tough decisions. Even if some of the choices must be made behind closed doors, communicate them candidly along the way. This will lessen anxiety and create a culture of trust instead of fear.

My final piece of advice to leaders navigating change today: don’t get stuck in your ways. If we want to successfully usher our teams through these transformative times and the decades ahead, it’stime to think differently and challenge the way we have been leading our organizations. 

Pierre Le Manh is president and CEO of PMI.

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