The forgotten step in leading large-scale change is often the assessment of mind-set shifts and their impact on execution. While skills are important, it is equally crucial to change mind-sets about how the organization should be run. This shift in mind-set is essential for increasing personal ownership and changing the perception of accountability. To ensure successful execution of the strategy, it is necessary to align the required skill-set and mind-set shifts with the strategic plans.

The forgotten step in leading large-scale change is often the assessment of mind-set shifts and their impact on execution. While skills are important, it is equally crucial to change mind-sets about how the organization should be run. This shift in mind-set is essential for increasing personal ownership and changing the perception of accountability. To ensure successful execution of the strategy, it is necessary to align the required skill-set and mind-set shifts with the strategic plans.

When embarking on change programs, it is crucial to assess the skills required to fulfill performance aspirations. Research shows that programs that assess skill-set requirements are more likely to succeed. This assessment can be done in three steps. First, determine the skills that matter most for the performance aspirations and quantify the demand for them. Next, understand the existing skills within the organization and explore the external dynamics to identify any gaps. Finally, bring together the supply and demand views and determine how to close the gaps. This can be achieved by reskilling and upskilling the current workforce, hiring new talent, or relying on contractors and partnerships.

In addition to skill-set assessment, it is important to understand the mind-set shifts needed for organizational health and performance improvement. The majority of problems in change programs can be attributed to employee resistance to change and inappropriate leadership behavior. Identifying deep-seated mind-sets is crucial for the success of change programs. This can be done by identifying helping and hindering behavior, uncovering the underlying mind-set drivers, and reframing the root-cause mind-sets. Techniques such as laddering interviews and qualitative data analysis can be used to dive beneath the surface and understand the motivations and values that shape employees' views.

Once the skill-set and mind-set shifts have been assessed, it is important to prioritize the necessary changes and align them with behavior. Change leaders should focus on a short list of prioritized mind-set shifts and the related behavior. This will ensure that the reframing of mind-sets is not only conscious but also memorable and can be discussed in the context of day-to-day work.

In conclusion, leading large-scale change requires not only assessing skill-set requirements but also understanding the necessary mind-set shifts. By prioritizing these shifts and aligning them with behavior, organizations can pave the way for successful execution of their strategies. Here are three actionable pieces of advice for leading large-scale change:

1. Assess both skill-set and mind-set requirements: Take the time to evaluate the skills needed to fulfill performance aspirations and identify the mind-set shifts required for organizational health and performance improvement.

2. Close skill gaps strategically: Determine the best approach to close any skill gaps, whether it be through reskilling and upskilling the current workforce, hiring new talent, or relying on contractors and partnerships.

3. Reframe mind-sets effectively: Use techniques such as laddering interviews and qualitative data analysis to uncover deep-seated mind-sets and reframe them in a way that expands the realm of possibility and makes the reframing memorable.

By incorporating these actionable advice, organizations can increase their chances of successfully leading large-scale change and achieving their strategic objectives.