We can distinguish three distinct stages in any transformation project. The initialization phase corresponds to the emergence of a rational and emotional vision of the project by the core team. This is followed by the enrichment phase, where the management line collaborates closely with experts to refine and deepen this vision. Finally comes the implementation phase, when the project is confronted with alterity: it is tested against reality and existing representations.
At this last stage, how can managers ensure that the necessity of change resonates with the teams whose daily routines and work habits will inevitably be affected? And what role should they adopt to effectively guide their people through what is often a complex and delicate phase? These are the questions we will explore in the final part of our series “turning a change project into an opportunity to strengthen the management line.”
Implementation: much more than a communication exercise
Many so-called change programs reduce implementation to a series of communication actions, training sessions, and feedback loops.
At Talisker, we are convinced that the success of this phase depends above all on preparing managers to fully embrace their role as educators for the teams in charge of operational execution. We see this role as two-dimensional: not only transmitting the overall vision and the meaning of change, but also organizing opportunities for genuine exchanges with those responsible for delivering it.
Although this approach may seem time-consuming, it is essential that managers take the time to tailor the message to each team, making explicit the personal benefits that everyone can gain. Too often, managers neglect this effort of empathy—putting themselves in the other’s shoes. Yet understanding others, who by definition do not perceive change in the same way, is crucial to implementation. Managers must be able to step outside their own perspective to embrace that of others and personalize the “why” of change, so that each person can see their own reasons for engaging with new ways of working.
From this perspective, creating a collective dynamic in implementation requires managers to decode how others function and to identify the values that guide their current habits. This skill is far from innate—it must be developed. That is why we see preparing the management line before each key step of implementation as critical.
Preparing to deliver meaning
So how can managers prepare themselves concretely before each key step of implementation? Talisker’s distinctive practice is to require decision-makers to reflect on the tailoring of their messages (and to rehearse their interactions with their audience). This means working with them on the exact formulations they will use to announce the transformation and on the credibility of their posture—giving them feedback on how convincingly they embody the message.
It is often easy for managers to communicate the technical and economic benefits of a project. What is much more often neglected is its interest for the department, and above all, the personal benefits for each individual. Yet if a manager does not explain clearly what each person can gain from the transformation in their own professional trajectory, it is unrealistic to expect genuine engagement from the teams. This is why we encourage leaders to reflect on the personal meaning that each individual can attach to the change. Neglecting this empathetic effort—by not putting oneself in others’ shoes—runs the risk of incomplete implementation, superficial adoption, or even outright failure to create value.
Practicing how to handle objections
We also prepare managers to embrace their role as educators when facing objections—those difficult questions that employees often raise after a change is announced. They may take the form of doubts or spontaneous reactions, expressing disagreement or fear. To respond effectively, it is essential to defuse these concerns and reassure people, allowing them to commit to the process with confidence.
As part of this preparation, we encourage managers to anticipate these objections rationally and to visualize their emotional reception. Practicing how to respond helps them better understand the roots of these concerns and, in turn, identify the fundamental values that employees absolutely want to preserve despite the change. How often do excellent managers, with the best of intentions, try to answer by focusing only on the project itself rather than considering the interests of their people? And yet, the real added value of a manager lies precisely in their ability to recognize the core values of their teams and help them reinvest those values—differently—into the new situation that is emerging.
Building a collective capacity for change
From a human perspective on transformation, helping each manager improve their practice of conveying meaning and reformulating messages in support of change is what we call helping managers grow in relational agility.
This interpersonal skill, as essential as it is, remains individual and depends on each manager’s own sensitivity. But when these change leadership practices are shared and adopted across the management line, they become the foundation of a genuine collective strength, increasing the organization’s capacity to navigate future transformations successfully.
In a constantly evolving environment, where every change leads to another, investing in the development of managerial practices is essential. Preparing managers for each key step of implementation is not only a strategic approach, it is also a unique opportunity to equip them with the means to unite their teams, to better understand their deeper motivations, and to anticipate upcoming challenges.
What if the change is already underway?
One might ask: what if change is already in motion, and managers have not yet developed this ability to support their teams effectively? If this practice is new and still foreign to the company’s culture, does it mean implementation is doomed to fail? Absolutely not. We believe that every change initiative is an opportunity to lay the first foundations of a collective dynamic. And the good news is that managerial practices can always be improved—even on the fly. For instance, we once supported senior managers in a particularly tense restructuring context through a brief end-of-day session. While this workshop did not transform them overnight, it proved highly beneficial in helping them deliver difficult announcements to teams they did not know well.
Because the way you lead your change is undoubtedly unique, contact me to explore how you wish to drive your transformations—particularly in their human dynamics. At Talisker, our mission is to help make your transformations a lasting success.
