Author: Sorcha Derkx-Mullan, Head of Change at Hymans Robertson

‘Here we go again!’ You’ve probably thought that as an email lands announcing a new process you need to follow. Whatever your role (leader or change professional), updates like these can prompt a groan… but a few weeks later you’re using the new process without thinking.

The truth about change is that it rarely fails because it’s a bad idea. It usually fails because people already have a lot going on day to day, it takes time to learn something new, and humans are human.

Change can look like a set of tasks to complete, but it’s also a human experience. That’s why the difference between change management and change leadership matters – especially if you want change to stick and deliver commercial impact.

Change is increasing…

As a change specialist, more change can be exciting – it creates opportunities to improve how things work. But when the number of change projects increased by over 60% between 2016 and 2022*, how do we still deliver change well? Especially when legislation, technology and client expectations keep evolving. This is where change management and change leadership come together. So what’s the difference?

Change management brings structure and control. It helps us to plan and organise change so it can be delivered effectively. It focuses on

• Defining the scope of change.
• Planning activities and milestones.
• Managing risks, dependencies and timelines.
• Tracking progress and benefits.

These disciplines are essential. Without them, change can quickly become unclear or chaotic.

However, project plans on their own don’t guarantee success. Many well designed change programmes fail not because the plan wasn’t good, but because people didn’t fully understand, accept or commit to the change.

Change management focuses on delivery

Change leadership focuses on people

Change leadership is about direction and influence. It shapes how people experience change and how they respond to it. It focuses on:

• Creating clarity about why the change matters.
• Helping people understand what is expected of them.
• Building trust and confidence during uncertainty.
• Sustaining energy and commitment over time

Change leadership recognises that we don’t all experience change in the same way. Leaders and change professionals play a critical role in shaping how change feels, not just how it is delivered.

It isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being visible, listening, and reinforcing the purpose (the “why”) when things feel difficult or unclear.

Years ago, I worked in the QA department of a pharmaceutical company. We wanted to improve ways of working so we could retrieve audit documentation faster and strengthen compliance. I reviewed systems and processes with a few team members and proposed new ways of working – but the implementation failed.

Looking back, I hadn’t spent enough time with team leaders on the “why” or on what would improve for their teams. When team members asked, ‘Why should I change?’, their leaders weren’t fully on board – and neither were they.

What can you do?

Balancing change management and change leadership means bringing other leaders on board early – so they can support adoption. Teams watch what leaders say, do and prioritise. And while change may be managed centrally, success is usually determined locally. To make adoption easier, equip yourself and others with:

• Simple messages they can repeat and reinforce.
• Practical responses to concerns, questions and pushback.
• Clear choices on what to prioritise (and what to stop) during the transition from old to new.
• Options for how to get feedback.
• Visible role modelling of the new ways of working.

In practice, successful change needs both management and leadership. One without the other creates risk and delays commercial impact. When you implement and embed change effectively, you reduce the burden on leaders and project teams – and you achieve outcomes faster. So, whether you are a leader or a change professional, aim for balance and involve leaders early to support their teams.

Try this balance and see what changes for you.

Sources:

*Gartner research cited in Harvard Business Review (O Morain & Aykens, 2023): average of 10 planned enterprise changes in 2022 vs two in 2016.