3. Managing Change
The IT landscape is dynamic, with constant changes in technology, regulations, and business needs. Leadership in IT involves not only anticipating these changes but also effectively managing them. Leaders must be agile, adaptable, and capable of steering their teams through transitions, whether it’s implementing new software, adopting agile methodologies, or adapting to the latest cybersecurity threats. A skilled IT leader can turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
Change management can seem to contradict some aspects of being a good leader. Humans often resist change and prefer fixed goals, strategies, and processes, so developing your team to be open for change can be a challenge. There are many books written on change management within organisations and many principles can be applied to smaller teams, such as clearly communicating the context surrounding the change, the impact and urgency of the change. If all you have for your team is “Management has instructed us to do this” then don’t expect a fully-motivated approach to implementation or adoption.
When implemented correctly, change management can actually strengthen your position as a leader and reinforce trust in you. So, ensure you have the full picture before communicating changes and also display your own readiness to embrace change – only then will you be able to motivate your team and have their full support during implementation.
“Leadership is an achievement of trust”
Peter Drucker
Check out previous parts of this blog series:
Part 1 – Visionary Guidance
Part 2 – Driving Innovation
