Great Lakes Wire

As organizations navigate an ever-evolving business landscape, fostering change agility has become a critical competitive advantage. Mary E. Corrado, in an article on hbr.org, outlines five behaviors that drive this adaptability within companies.

Firstly, sharing a clear and compelling purpose is essential. "When employees understand the 'why' behind change, resistance diminishes, and engagement grows," Corrado notes. Leaders must communicate a vision that resonates with employees to encourage transformation.

Looking ahead and identifying opportunities is not just for senior executives. Empowering mid- and front-line leaders to spot emerging trends is crucial. Questions like “What will our customers need a year from now?” help cultivate proactive thinking. At ASE, strategy sessions follow all-team meetings to minimize bureaucracy and celebrate successes.

Seeking out what's not working requires creating psychologically safe environments where employees can openly discuss challenges. Corrado emphasizes that "psychological safety isn’t optional; it’s essential for sustained learning and improvement."

Promoting calculated risk-taking and experimentation involves shifting the mindset from “Why?” to “Why not?” Encouraging pilots and prototypes recognizes failure as part of success's path.

Finally, fostering boundary-spanning partnerships breaks down silos for efficient collaboration across functions. Cross-functional partnerships streamline processes and create consistent strategies addressing diverse needs.

These insights are timely as 2025 presents significant changes for many organizations. Corrado invites readers to share how they support resiliency in their own companies via email at mcorrado@aseonline.org.

By Mary E. Corrado, courtesy of SBAM-approved partner, ASE.