This time, it’s personal
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| | | Every great transformation starts with a compelling vision—one that offers employees a clear reason to rally behind their company’s direction. But the impact of that vision ultimately depends on the CEO, whose ability to make the transformation personal can be the deciding factor in its success. Drawing on interviews with CEOs about their own transformation journeys, the authors of this 2007 classic identify four key moves to help leaders create successful, enduring transformations.
First, make the transformation meaningful. Personalizing the transformation creates the energy others need to believe in the effort. Engaging with employees and showcasing their successes helps make it stick. Second, role-model desired mindsets and behaviors. Successful CEOs know their people look to them to lead by example. Their actions signal to employees how to behave and carry the transformation forward. Third, build a strong, committed top team. CEOs need a talented top team to help lead a transformation, which involves making tough decisions about who the right people are to make the journey. Finally, relentlessly pursue impact. There’s no substitute for CEOs personally investing their time and energy in their companies’ transformation efforts.
Nearly two decades since this classic was first published, the stakes for today’s organizations have only grown. Yet the fundamentals of transformative success—and the CEO’s role in leading it—remain the same. For more, read “The CEO’s role in leading transformation.”
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| Read our latest thinking on this classic topic
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| | | | | Once CEOs have personally invested in a transformation, they often face another challenge: collective-action problems. These internal organizational dynamics arise when individuals or groups have conflicting interests, which can undermine positive collective outcomes. CEOs are uniquely positioned to tackle these barriers, and those who do so can help enable a successful transformation. Read our latest insights on the topic from McKinsey’s Kurt Strovink, Mathew Lee, Meagan Hill, and Michael Bucy. | | Lead collectively  | | | |
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| | | —Edited by Drew Holzfeind, senior editor, Chicago
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