The Key Role of a Leader (Frontperson) in the Process of

Projekt „Partnerski System Zarządzania Zmianą Gospodarczą na Obszarach Natura 2000” nr POKL.08.01.02-20-027/11

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Projekt współfinansowany przez Unię Europejską w ramach Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego oraz Budżet Państwa

The Key Role of a Leader (Frontperson)

in the Process of Change Management.

,,Nie odkryjesz nowych lądów,

jeśli nie zgodzisz się stracić z pola widzenia

brzegu na długi czas.”1

mgr Anna Głowicka

Białystok 2013

1 W. Bridges, Zarządzanie zmianami. Jak maksymalnie skorzystać na procesach przejściowych., Wydawnictwo

Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków 2008, p. 42


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Introduction.

The process of change management is a very complex one, involving many stages and

engaging a number of entities, not only within an organization but also in its proximal and

distal environment. The multitude of participants of the change process, as well as the

complexity of the very process, result in the necessity to appoint a person to manage the

process – to coordinate, motivate, lead, organize and plan – in other words, to manage the

whole process of changes at the organization level. The person needs to be able to effectively

lead the organization through the process of introducing changes and strive to make it

successful.

Selecting such a person within the organization or appointing a person “from the outside” is

definitely not an easy task. It requires thorough consideration of particular candidates on the

part of managers, as that choice is decisive for the success of the whole enterprise of

implementing changes in the organization. It must not be forgotten, however, that the leader

of the change process may naturally emerge from among the members of the organization,

which will definitely be very beneficial for the process to be implemented.

The article presents basic issues related to the role of the leader (foreperson) in a broadly

understood process of change management. It will be an attempt to answer the question of

whether the leader really plays such a significant part in the process of changes, what

determines that, what qualities the leader should have, what tasks they have to fulfill and what

is really expected of them.

1. The subjective character of the process of change

The process of changes has both the objective character (meaning what the change refers to)

and the subjective one (meaning who it refers to, or – in a broader meaning – who participates

in it). In literature, there are many different classifications of the subjective structure of the

process of changes, but presenting all of them is not necessary. Below, only those will be

presented which complement each other, thus presenting the discussed issue in a

comprehensive way.


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First of all, the three basic groups of actors of changes (regarding the role they play in the

change process) are the following:2

strategists (they take decisions concerning the initiation of the process of changes and

actually start the process);

implementation officers (they plan, prepare and carry out the whole enterprise

connected with the implementation of the change);

users (the persons in whose environment the process of changes occurs and who will

have to function in the changed conditions).

Another classification mentions four groups of entities, slightly different to the above-

mentioned ones: initiators of the changes, promoters of the changes, agents of the changes and

addressees of the changes.3 That classification is just an extension of the previous one, adding

the role of promoter (as the name suggests, they are responsible for the promotion of changes

both within the organization and outside). The other entities are identical with those in the

first classification.

There is also another classification of the participants of the process of changes, including:4

the leader of changes (they are in the lead of the change implementation);

the manager of changes (they direct and manage the process of changes in the

organization);

the promoter of changes (the person involved in the process of changes and promoting

it at the particular levels of the organization);

the performer of changes (they implement the change disregarding the opinions or any

resistance on the part of the organization members, mainly using force instead of

arguments or even resorting to dishonest strategies).

2 W. Daniecki., Strategie zmian. Refleksje nad praktyką., Wydawnictwo SWPS Academica, Warszawa 2004, p. 75 3 K. Grzesiuk, Zarządzanie zmianą w aspekcie funkcjonowania człowieka w biznesie. [in:] ed. K. Machowicz, Newralgiczne aspekty współczesnych relacji między człowiekiem a biznesem., Wydawnictwo KUL, Lublin 2010, p. 140 4 T. Wawak, Lider i przywódca zmian., pp. 4-5, http://tadeusz.wawak.pl/content/lider-i-przywodca-zmian, 20/08/2013


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In that case, only the “key” entities implementing the change were mentioned when

distinguishing the participants of the process of changes, disregarding the users (addressees)

of the changes.

In order to draw up a coherent and complete list of the participants of the process, it is

necessary to refer to the three above-mentioned classifications. On the basis of them, we can

enumerate elements of the subjective structure of the change management process: strategist

(initiator), leader (foreperson, performer, agent), promoter and addressees (users) of the

change. This list does not include the subject of executor, but it is so due to the fact that this

role should be treated as a specific form of exercising leadership by the change leader.

2. The leader of the change management process.

The available literature sources present various definitions of the term 'leader', list different

qualities and tasks ascribed to them and indicate numerous functions and roles the leader

plays in the process of changes. Very often, terms synonymous to it are also used, such as e.g.

spokesperson, moderator, educator, promoter, facilitator or agent of changes. For the needs of

this study, let us assume that they are identical and use them interchangeably.5

Most generally, the leader of the change process is an entity participating in the process of

changes, responsible for the performance of particular goals, coordination of actions and

monitoring the whole process; moreover, they are the guarantor of the efficiency and

effectiveness of the process (understood as the achievement of the set goals with care about

the rational management of the allotted resources). They are responsible for the establishment

of mechanisms protecting from the occurrence of potential risks, which might pose a threat to

the performance of the set goals. Their tasks also include ensuring efficient communication

between the participants of the change process and the participants of other processes taking

place within the organization, so that no disturbances occur in information channels.6 The

leader of change may be a member of the organization or the management, or an expert

5 E. Drabek, Źródła oporu wobec zmian oraz sposoby jego przezwyciężania., http://www.profesor.pl/publikacja,2627,Artykuly,Zrodla-oporu-wobec-zmian-oraz-sposoby-jego przezwyciezania, 20/08/2013 6 R. Batko, Zarządzanie procesami w organizacji publicznej., in: ed. R. Batko, Zarządzanie zmianą w organizacjach publicznych. Projektowanie i wprowadzanie nowoczesnych metod i narzędzi zarządczych w Wojewódzkim Urzędzie Pracy w Krakowie., Wojewódzki Urząd Pracy w Krakowie, Kraków 2011, p. 25


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employed from the outside for the needs of implementation of a particular change.7 It is

determined by the needs of the organization in that regard, the quality of human capital, the

financial resources owned by the organization and the specificity of the implemented change.

To sum up, it must be mentioned, however, that in the context of change manager process, the

leader is a person who influences the environment of the organization, including its members,

and a person who within their specialization wants and is able to introduce changes,8 has the

necessary skills and is capable of using the available tools.

3. The leader of changes as a frontperson.

The leader of changes does not always play the role of a frontperson in the organization,

yet for the change management process to be accurate and effective, they should be perceived

as such both by the organization members and its closest environment. It is extremely

important if the organization wants to achieve the intended objective: to implement the

change. Unfortunately, it is not so easy.

It would seem that if the leader manages, directs the process of changes in the organization,

coordinates it, manages people and distributes the resources at their disposal, it automatically

means he or she is the frontperson. But in change management, real leadership means that

through the leader, the participants of the process strive for the achievement of common

objectives – not only the objectives of those who support the change being introduced but also

the objectives of the whole organization. Thus, what is essential is the ability to notice and

achieve the common objectives, to perceive the potential lying dormant in people and to direct

the talents, knowledge and abilities of the organization members towards the previously

established results,9 continuously aiming at the set objective: the vision assumed at the

beginning of the process. Achieving the status of the leader is not very easy; sometimes it

requires great effort on the part of the leader. The leader needs to prove to all the participants

of the process that he or she is a trustworthy person who will lead them through the process of

changes in “the least painful” way, and that the changes are inevitable despite the negative

effects they may sometimes carry with them. 7 Nowoczesne przywództwo w organizacji publicznej na rzecz zmian – rola wyższych stanowisk w służbie cywilnej w ramach Planu szkoleń centralnych w służbie cywilnej na 2011 r., Kancelaria Prezesa Rady Ministrów, Wydawnictwo Gamma, p. 27 8 Ibid., pp. 7-8. 9 J. MacGregor Burns, Władza przywódcza, we władza i społeczeństwo., Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, Warszawa 1994, p. 266


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Here, it is worth noting that the role of a leader / frontperson cannot be identified with the role

of a manager. The frontperson is not a manager, although a good manager can be the

frontperson. The fundamental difference is that the manager induces the organization

members to do the right things, whereas the frontperson additionally makes people want to do

those things. Thus, the frontperson is actually a higher role than the manager. The frontperson

aims at changes, and the manager basically concentrates on keeping the balance within the

organization.10 Hence, as far as deep changes are concerned – ones that occur in the whole

organization and involve many areas – the frontperson (leader) of the organization should step

into the breach, and in the case of changes regarding particular organizational areas (specific

segments of activity), the manager should become the agent of changes, as the manager is the

expert in a given area and is knowledgeable about the process subject to change.

4. Authorization of the leader of changes as a frontperson.

The source of authorization of the leader of change plays a significant role in the effective

realization of the process of change, as it determines the kind of interactions between the

leader and the other participants of the process. Most literature sources indicate five kinds of

authority ascribed to the foreperson. These are:11

formal authority (results from the hierarchical structure existing in the organization

and from the necessity to subdue to superior entities; however, having that kind of

authority does not make anybody a foreperson; in the process of changes, the person

may have been assigned by the unit's management to serve as the leader);

the power of rewarding is connected with granting or withholding rewards, both

material and immaterial ones, such as commendation; a person can only be called a

foreperson if the inferiors also care about being rewarded in an immaterial way;

the power of exerting force refers to the use of mental, emotional or physical force in

order to make people meet certain requirements (e.g. in the case of strong resistance to

changes);

charismatic authority is legitimized by the leader's qualities, thanks to which the

members of the organization admire and trust them and are willing to express loyalty

and devotion;

10 Nowoczesne przywództwo w organizacji publicznej na rzecz zmian – rola …, pp. 7-8. 11 R. Mrówka, Przywództwo w organizacjach. Analiza …, pp. 16-17


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expert authority results from the competence and skills one has; the greater the

conviction among organization members of the opportunity to learn something from

the leader, the greater the authority.

In the process of change management, the best solution is for the leader to have all the above-

mentioned kinds of authority, which will ensure them the effective management of the whole

process, although the most desirable is of course the charismatic authority.

The adopted style of managing the whole process is a derivative of the kind of authority the

leader (foreperson) of the change process represents and their approach to the tasks

performed. It may be one of the following kinds:12

prescriptive style (the foreperson establishes the directions of activity and clearly

determines their expectations regarding the participants of the process, members of the

organization);

supportive style (the foreperson demonstrates care for the organization members, is

not patronizing, is an equal partner in the process and displays understanding and

friendliness);

participation style (the foreperson takes part in the process of changes, knows its

vision, objectives and strategy, and at the same time aims at involving all the members

of the organization in the process, among others by consultations and asking others for

advice);

task-oriented style (the foreperson determines ambitious targets and consistently aims

at achieving them, so as to finally achieve the ultimate objective: implementing the

change in the organization).

The selection of the management style is reflected in the course of the whole management

process; just like in the case of the source of authority, mixing particular styles is

recommended in order to achieve a better effect thanks to the use of an appropriate style

depending on the existing situation and the emerging needs.

5. Expectations towards the leader of changes versus the tasks they

really perform. 12 J. A. F. Stoner, R. E. Freeman, D. R. Gilbert, Kierowanie., PWE, Warszawa 1997, p. 469


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Expectations towards the leader of changes, both on the part of the participants of the process

of changes and of the whole organization and its closest environment, are relatively high. The

leader is perceived as the guarantor of effectiveness of the implemented process, responsible

for each of the areas within the process.

A few main expectations directed at the leader of changes are, among others:13

higher probability of the achievement of the set objective, and thus minimization of

the risk of failure;

increasing the speed of process implementation;

integration of the organization members around a common goal and increasing their

involvement;

reducing the resistance towards changes and promoting the process of changes in the

organization;

care for employee development;

building and maintaining a high level of trust among all the participants of the process

of changes;

the ability to balance the business benefits and the personal ones.

Undoubtedly, meeting such expectations is to a great extent dependent on the leader's

personal qualities, particularly communicativeness, honesty, charisma, empathy, seriousness,

realism, the ability to make decisions and being trustworthy. 14

Regardless of whom expectations and requirements concern, they are usually excessive. There

is a popular belief that it is better to expect too much than too little of someone. But the reality

will verify them anyway by means of confrontation with the properly fulfilled tasks. As for

the leader, the catalogue of their tasks is the following:15

to be the author and at the same time guarantor of carrying out the realistic vision of

the change, whose primary goal is the good of the whole organization;

13 R. Wendt, Zarządzanie zmianą w polskiej firmie. Jak w praktyce wykorzystać szansę na rozwój bez porażek., Dom Wydawniczy Zacharek, Warszawa 2010, p. 33 14 Ibid., p. 33. 15 R. Wendt, Zarządzanie zmianą w …, p. 34 and J.W. Moran, B.K. Brightman, Leading organizational change., in:: K. Grzesiuk, Zarządzanie zmianą w aspekcie funkcjonowania człowieka w biznesie. [in:] ed. K. Machowicz, Newralgiczne aspekty współczesnych relacji między człowiekiem a biznesem., Wydawnictwo KUL, Lublin 2010, pp. 142-143


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to develop a clear and realistic plan of implementation of the change;

to confirm the belief in the success of the conducted process among all the participants

of the process of changes;

to balance the benefits for the organization and for the people engaged in the process

of changes;

to organize project groups as part of the implemented project, to assign leaders and to

coordinate their activities;

to provide the resources, tools and action plans (strategies) necessary to implement the

change;

to take responsibility for organizing and ensuring effective communication as part of

the implemented process at all the levels of the organization;

to establish control indicators and to measure and analyze them systematically;

to solve the problems occurring in the organization as they arise as a result of the

carried out process of changes;

to report to the decisive person and sponsor of the change;

to build the organizational culture by introducing new initiatives and taking up certain

“improvements”;

to ensure continuity of the change process and the appropriate speed of their

implementation.

Of course, it is not a closed catalogue of tasks assigned to the leader of changes; it is rather

the tip of the iceberg of what their tasks really involve. Together with the changing

management conditions, the scope of their tasks also changes.

6. The impact of the leader on the effectiveness of change management

process.

If the leader demonstrates a higher level of effectiveness in their activities, the process they

manage will probably be successful too and will be have the proper level of effectiveness. An

effective leader is one who:16

takes the initiative and evokes positive energy;

16 A. Dębowski., Manifest Instytutu Liderów Zmian., 2013. s. 5, http://adamdebowski.pl/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/manifest-instytut-lider%C3%B3w-zmian-2013.pdf, 20/08/2013


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supports the group arrangement process;

helps others to discover their own value;

motivates them to action;

skilfully manages conflicts, objects to “mad” competition among the members of the

organization;

accepts learning by mistakes;

openly communicates with the environment;

ascribes the achieved success to all the participants of the change process, not only to

themselves.

The achievement of success by the leader as regards the implemented change, taking into

consideration external factors (not directly dependent on the leader), is an interaction of three

interpenetrating variables, i.e.:17

the relation between the leader and the group;

the work breakdown structure, including: the transparency of the goal, the multiplicity

of potential ways of its achievement and the specificity of the task;

the authority position of the leader.

The leader who wants to effectively and efficiently manage transitions in an organization

should be governed by the following principles:18

promotion of the attitude of dialogue, mainly based on open vertical and horizontal

communication;

implementation and teaching of respect within the organization, both with reference to

the participants of the change process and to their ideas, but also to the reliable

solutions which have contributed to the achievement of success;

initiation and promotion of cooperation between particular members of the process

considering the fact that the change process is complex and multidimensional;

encouraging organization members to present their own initiatives and actions with

respect to the ongoing change management process.

17 W. Daniecki, Strategie zmian. Refleksje …, p. 93 18 R.M. Kanter, Leadership and the psychology of turnaround., in:: K. Grzesiuk, Zarządzanie zmianą w aspekcie funkcjonowania człowieka w biznesie. [in:] ed. K. Machowicz, Newralgiczne aspekty współczesnych relacji między człowiekiem a biznesem., Wydawnictwo KUL, Lublin 2010, p. 142


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To sum up, the leader plays a significant part in the process of effective change management

on the part of an organization. They are supported in that process not only by their own

predispositions to assume leadership but also by particular principles giving a certain

framework to the whole process.

Conclusion.

With reference to Heraclitus' adage “panta rhei”, it must be noted that in the face of

ever increasing changeability and complexity of the environment, the leader / frontperson, as

the person managing the organization, including the processes of changes occurring in it, must

be ready to use new ways of forming the reality, have the ability to create the vision of the

future and to implement it effectively.19 It is the leader that guarantees the success as regards

the introduced change and shapes the process of managing it, thus he or she undoubtedly

plays the key part in the change management process at the organizational level. Having

particular predispositions, abilities, resources and instruments, they can do it effectively.

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przywodca-zmian, 20/08/2013


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na rozwój bez porażek., Dom Wydawniczy Zacharek, Warszawa 2010

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The Key Role of a Leader (Frontperson) in the Process of