Change is rarely a technology problem. It is a leadership one.
In any organisation, the true test of leadership shows up not in times of calm, but in moments of change. New systems, processes or ways of working will only ever succeed if leaders show up with clarity, curiosity and a genuine willingness to listen.
Intentional leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about creating the conditions where people feel safe enough to explore them with you.
Lead with Curiosity, Not Assumptions
Change often fails because leaders jump to solutions without spending enough time in the problem. The instinct to "fix" is strong, especially when you are under pressure to deliver.
Intentional leaders press pause. They ask better questions. They stay curious about what is really going on beneath the surface.
Insight
Curiosity invites contribution. People are more willing to share honest feedback when they feel heard and not judged.
Action in the Next 30 Days
Start every change conversation with a genuine question, not a directive. Try: "What do you think we might be missing here?" or "If you were me, what would you do next?"
Listen to Understand, Not Respond
Listening sounds easy. But in practice, most of us listen just long enough to prepare our reply.
Intentional leadership demands a different approach. It means listening without agenda. It means staying present long enough to hear what is not being said.
Insight
Real change happens when people feel seen and understood, not managed or corrected.
Action in the Next 30 Days
Block out one meeting this month that is only for listening. No agenda. No updates. Just ask your team: "What’s one thing slowing us down that I don’t see?" Then stay quiet.
Change moves at the speed of trust, and trust moves at the speed of listening.
Make Feedback a Habit, Not an Event
Feedback should not only arrive in formal reviews or post-implementation surveys. In times of change, feedback lives in everyday moments, hallway conversations, small comments, emerging behaviours.
Intentional leaders build the habit of noticing. They look for patterns. They ask for feedback before it is volunteered.
Insight
The small feedback you collect today will prevent the significant issues nobody wants to deal with tomorrow.
Action in the Next 30 Days
Create one new feedback channel for your team. It could be anonymous, a regular check-in question, or a Slack thread called "Small Things That Matter"; keep it low effort, keep it human.
Create Clarity People Can Trust
Perhaps the most underrated role of a leader in change? Be the calm in the storm. When everything feels uncertain, people look to their leaders for clarity.
Intentional leadership means setting direction, and then communicating it (again and again) in ways people understand.
Insight
People do not resist change: they resist confusion.
Action in the Next 30 Days
Review one piece of change communication: an email, a presentation, a project update, and ask yourself: Is this clear enough for someone who has just come back from holiday to understand? If not, rewrite it.
Organisational change is not a project to manage, it is a culture to lead.
Intentional leaders know that change succeeds when people feel seen, heard and supported. It is curiosity, listening and clarity, practised every day, that turns new technology into lasting transformation.
If you want to know how well your team is really adopting change, we invite you to reach out and take our Adoption Success Scorecard.
It is a quick, practical tool to help you assess the human side of your technology rollout, because successful change starts with leading well.
