How to Improve Change Management Skills for Leaders

Only 31% of managers have received formal change leadership training.  

Yet they are expected to guide teams through digital transformations, restructures, and strategic shifts that reshape how their entire organisation works.

That single finding - drawn from a study of 4,732 professionals and managers across eight European countries, commissioned by GoodHabitz and conducted by Markteffect - points to a challenge most HR and L&D leaders already recognise:

Change management leadership skills are widely assumed, rarely built, and almost never distributed equitably across the organisation.

The research makes the cost of this gap visible.  

Leaders believe they are communicating clearly during change. But employees experience something different.  

Managers think they involve teams early. Professionals say the biggest thing they want is earlier involvement.  

91% percent of managers measure change success. Only 17% of professionals know how.

These are not minor misalignments.  

They are the specific, measurable gaps that determine whether a change initiative builds momentum, or stalls.

This article draws on The GoodHabitz Change Management Research to explain:  

• Which capabilities matter most during organisational change

• Why the gaps between leaders and employees persist

• How to improve change management skills in a way that is practical, evidence-based, and scalable across teams.

Why change management skills matter more than ever

Company change is no longer occasional; it's continuous.  

Across Europe, companies are adapting to digital transformation, evolving customer expectations, and rapidly shifting markets.  

The scale of the challenge is well documented: McKinsey research consistently finds that a significant majority of large-scale transformation programmes fail to meet their objectives, not because the strategy is wrong, but because the human and organisational capabilities needed to execute it aren't in place.  

Yet many organisations still approach change cautiously rather than proactively.  

When asked how their organisations approach change, our research revealed that only 16% of professionals and 21% of managers describe their company as innovators or early adopters.  

The majority adopt new initiatives only after success has been proven elsewhere.

This reactive approach shapes how employees experience change.  

When new initiatives begin, the most common emotional response is cautious optimism.

For example, around 40% of professionals say they feel open to change but unsure about what it will bring. At the same time, 20% report feeling anxious and 13% say they feel overwhelmed.

On the other hand, managers tend to feel more positive: 23% say change energises them, compared with 16% of professionals.  

The reason is simple.  

Managers often have more visibility and influence over the change process, while employees experience change as something happening around them.

This difference highlights why organisational change management skills matter so much.  

Leaders who can communicate clearly, involve their teams early, and guide people through uncertainty can transform cautious optimism into genuine momentum.

The biggest change management skills gaps in leaders today

Our research also revealed that leaders and employees often disagree about which skills matter most during change.

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Table 1: Most important leadership skills during change: professionals vs. managers.

These differences create gaps that affect how change initiatives unfold.

And in case you’re interested in finding out more, watch our podcast interview with David James, CLO at 360Learning on how to close skills gaps below:

Communication: the most important skill leaders underestimate

Communication consistently emerges as the most important change management skill for leaders.

Among professionals, 47% say communication is the most important leadership skill during change, whereas managers rank it slightly lower at 40%.

The difference may appear small, but it reflects a deeper challenge.  

Leaders often believe they are communicating effectively, while employees experience something quite different.

For example, managers report taking several communication actions during change:

• 30% say they held team meetings to discuss the change

• 29% say they clearly explained the reasons behind the change

• 29% say they listened to employee concerns

Yet professionals report experiencing these same actions at much lower rates. Only around 19% recall team meetings or clear explanations, and just 16% feel their concerns were heard.

This gap shows that communication is not just about sharing information. Leaders also need to ensure their message resonates with their teams.

Developing change management communication skills through targeted training can help leaders move from simply broadcasting messages to creating genuine dialogue.  

Open communication makes change easier. When employees understand and feel heard, transformation sticks. In other words, work towards building a strong feedback culture.

Active listening: the gap leaders don't see

This was the largest leadership skills gap identified in the research.

35% of professionals say active listening is a crucial leadership skill during change, compared with only 26% of managers.

This nine-point difference highlights an important dynamic. Leaders often focus on explaining decisions and communicating plans. Employees want to feel heard and involved.

Professionals also identify active listening as a development need in their managers. Around 23% say their leaders could improve in this area.

Leaders who develop strong listening skills create space for employees to raise concerns, share ideas, and contribute to solutions. This builds trust and encourages participation during periods of uncertainty.

Adaptability and problem-solving

While employees emphasise communication and listening, managers often prioritise different capabilities.

Managers identify adaptability (38%) and problem-solving (33%) as the most important skills professionals need to develop during change.

Professionals themselves place more emphasis on communication. 43% say communication skills are important for employees, compared with 35% of managers.

This mismatch can lead organisations to invest in training programmes that do not fully address the needs employees experience during change.

Effective leadership skills during change should balance both perspectives.  

Leaders need adaptable teams who can respond to new challenges, but they also need employees who feel confident communicating ideas and feedback.  

And underpinning all of it - communication, adaptability, problem-solving - is the ability to function under pressure.  

This can also be defined as purpose driven leadership.

Stress management: a shared priority

Stress management becomes not just a soft skill, but a leadership essential.

Change does not only affect processes and systems. It also affects people emotionally.

Among professionals, 29% say stress management is their top development priority. At the same time, 23% identify stress management as a skill gap among their managers.

Leaders who manage their own stress effectively set the emotional tone for their teams.

Leadership styles that foster a culture of workplace resilience helps employees navigate uncertainty with greater confidence.

The good news is that emotional resilience is not a personality trait reserved for a few individuals. It is a skill that can be developed through learning and practice.

The perception gap: why leaders think they're doing better than they are

One of the most striking findings from the research is the perception gap between managers and professionals.

In many cases, leaders believe they are managing change effectively. Employees experience the same initiatives very differently.

This gap appears in several key areas.

The involvement gap

Managers believe they involve teams early in the change process: 45% say they involve employees from the beginning of change initiatives.

Yet when professionals are asked what managers should do differently, 44% say their single biggest request is earlier involvement.

The disconnect demonstrate that what leaders consider early involvement often arrives after important decisions have already been made.

The communication gap

The same pattern appears in communication.

Managers report frequent communication actions during change initiatives. Employees perceive these actions at rates 10 to 14 percentage points lower.

The difference highlights an important leadership lesson. Communication must be measured by how it is received, not by how often it is delivered.

The measurement gap

The perception gap extends to how organisations track success.

An overwhelming 91% of managers say their organisation measures the success of change initiatives.  

Yet only 53% of professionals are aware that success is being measured, and just 17% know how those measurements work.

When employees do not understand how success is defined, it becomes harder for them to align their efforts with organisational goals.

The support gap

Finally, there is a significant difference in perceived support during change.

66% of managers say they feel supported by HR or L&D, while only 34% of professionals report the same level of support.

Nearly 47% of professionals say they feel unsupported or completely unsupported during change initiatives.

This gap is not simply a leadership problem. It reflects a broader organisational challenge in how support resources are distributed.

Learning and development programmes can play an important role in closing these gaps by creating shared language, shared expectations, and shared skills across the organisation.

How to improve change management skills: practical steps for leaders

Developing stronger change management skills for leaders requires more than theoretical knowledge.  

It requires daily leadership practices that shape how teams experience change.

The following five steps provide a practical starting point.

Step 1: Master the communication loop, not just the message

Many leaders focus on delivering information quickly and clearly. Effective change communication goes further.

Leaders need to ensure their message is understood and that employees have opportunities to respond.

Practical behaviours include:

• Explaining the reason behind the change before describing the action required

• Inviting feedback before final decisions are made

• Acknowledging uncertainty or challenges openly

• Following up on commitments made during discussions

Scenario based training can help leaders understand how their communication style is experienced by others.

Step 2: Involve teams earlier and more meaningfully

Research shows that 41% of professionals want earlier involvement in change initiatives.

Leaders can address this by involving employees during the planning stage rather than only during implementation.

Practical approaches include:

• Including team representatives in early discussions

• Creating structured feedback channels

• Sharing initial ideas before decisions are finalised

When employees see that their input shapes outcomes, they are more likely to support change.

Step 3: Build active listening as a daily practice

Active listening means more than allowing employees to speak. It requires leaders to demonstrate that they understand what they hear.

Effective listening practices include:

• Summarising what employees say before responding

• Asking clarifying questions

• Adjusting plans when feedback reveals new insights

Leaders who practise active listening create psychological safety. This encourages teams to contribute ideas and concerns early in the change process.

Step 4: Make change success visible to everyone

Many organisations measure the success of change initiatives, but employees are rarely aware of those metrics.

Leaders can close this gap by making progress visible.

Practical tools include:

• Shared dashboards that track progress toward goals

• Regular updates during team meetings

• Celebrating small wins throughout the change process

Transparency helps employees understand how their efforts contribute to organisational success.

Step 5: Invest in your own stress management and emotional resilience

Leaders cannot support teams effectively if they are overwhelmed themselves.

Developing emotional resilience allows leaders to remain calm during uncertainty and provide reassurance to others.

This includes:

• Recognising personal stress signals

• Building healthy coping strategies

• Normalising conversations about wellbeing during change

Wellbeing programmes and stress management training should be treated as core leadership development priorities.

The training gap: why access matters

Even when organisations recognise the importance of change leadership skills, access to training remains uneven.  

Research shows that 73% of managers have ongoing access to leadership training, while only 50% of professionals have access to soft skills development.  

More concerning, 36% of professionals report having no access to soft skills training at all. The practical cost is direct: when the people responsible for executing change lack the skills to navigate it, even well-designed initiatives fail at the point of delivery.  

At the same time, demand for development is high: 71% of professionals say they would benefit from additional change management training.

Training access also affects how quickly people apply new skills: 40% of managers apply newly learned skills immediately, compared with 24% of professionals.

Organisations can address this gap by expanding access to change management training for managers and employees alike, using digital learning platforms that allow people to develop skills when they need them.

Preferred learning formats across both groups include:

• Online courses or e-learning programmes

• Leadership development programmes

• Clearer communication from senior leaders

• Practical workshops and training sessions

The role of HR and L&D in closing the change skills gap

HR and L&D teams play a critical role in strengthening organisational change capabilities.

Based on the research findings, three priorities stand out for organisations planning leadership development strategies.

1. Build role-specific learning paths

Managers and professionals experience change differently and require different skills. Learning paths should reflect these differences while maintaining shared frameworks.

2. Make communication a core capability

Communication should be treated as a trainable skill rather than an assumed leadership trait. Structured learning programmes can help leaders develop practical communication behaviours.

3. Democratise access to learning

Training should extend beyond the management layer. When employees across the organisation have access to development opportunities, change initiatives become more collaborative and effective.

The picture is clear: it’s about action. The real challenge for HR and L&D it’s building the systems, skills, and culture to deliver it consistently, at scale, and for everyone. Read more to stay ahead HERE.  

Summary: The change management skills leaders need to build

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Table 2: Change management skills priority matrix

Conclusion

Organisations that navigate change successfully share one important advantage. Their leaders possess strong change management capabilities.

The research highlights several skills that consistently shape successful change initiatives:

• Communication

• Active listening

• Adaptability

• Problem solving

• Stress management

Developing these capabilities allows leaders to guide teams through uncertainty while maintaining trust, engagement, and momentum.

For organisations facing constant transformation, strengthening change management skills for leaders is no longer optional. It is a strategic investment that determines whether companies simply survive change or use it to build lasting competitive advantage.

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