Businesses continue to face disruptions from every direction, from technological advances to economic shifts to geopolitical instability. This challenging environment, in turn, is putting increasing pressure on leaders to hone their transformation and change-management skills—as change itself becomes more complex to manage and more critical to a company’s success. McKinsey research has revealed an updated set of “golden rules” for how executives can redesign their organizations to create value in today’s volatile world. This week, we look at how leaders can go further and reinvent their overall approach to change management to better guide their companies through turbulent times.

MAKE CHANGE PERSONAL

Some top executives are kicking off 2026 by urging their teams to focus on performance amid considerable change and competition. For leaders themselves, the new year is also an opportunity to evaluate their own day-to-day effectiveness. Senior Partner Arne Gast observes that executives need to upgrade their personal operating models when leading corporate transformations, developing new strategies, or redesigning organizational structures. This means examining how they choose their priorities and roles, spend their time, and sustain their energy. Gast notes that leaders who continually assess and improve their own operating models report being more productive and driving change more effectively. “There is no mandate to change your operating model at various inflection points,” he says. “For leaders, push notifications must be generated from within.”

Lead by taking a new approach to change.