Coaching Resistant Leaders and Aligning OE with Strategy: A Dual Path to Sustainable Change
Change is never easy—especially when it challenges long-standing habits, beliefs, or power structures. As Operational Excellence (OE) professionals, we often find ourselves at the intersection of transformation and resistance. Coaching leaders who are hesitant to embrace change, while ensuring OE initiatives align with organizational strategy, is both an art and a science.
🧠 Coaching Leaders Who Are Resistant to Change
Resistance isn’t always about defiance—it’s often about fear, uncertainty, or lack of clarity. Here’s how to coach through it:
1. Start with Empathy
Understand the root of the resistance. Is it fear of failure? Loss of control? Misalignment with personal values? Listening without judgment builds trust and opens the door to meaningful dialogue.
2. Connect to Purpose
Frame change in terms of impact. Show how the initiative supports the leader’s goals, team success, and broader organizational outcomes. When leaders see the “why,” they’re more likely to engage with the “how.”
3. Use Data to Build Confidence
Lean Six Sigma thrives on data. Use metrics, case studies, and pilot results to demonstrate the value of change. Evidence reduces emotional resistance and builds credibility.
4. Involve Them in the Process
Co-create solutions. Invite leaders to participate in problem-solving, root cause analysis, or Kaizen events. Ownership breeds commitment.
5. Celebrate Small Wins
Recognize progress early and often. Highlighting quick wins reinforces positive behavior and builds momentum.
🎯 Aligning OE Work with Organizational Strategy
Operational Excellence isn’t just about improving processes—it’s about driving strategic value. Here’s how to ensure alignment:
1. Understand the Strategic Priorities
Start by immersing yourself in the organization’s strategic plan. What are the top goals? Growth? Innovation? Customer experience? Your OE work should directly support these pillars.
2. Translate Strategy into OE Initiatives
Use Hoshin Kanri or strategy deployment tools to cascade high-level goals into actionable OE projects. This ensures every improvement effort contributes to the bigger picture.
3. Engage Cross-Functional Stakeholders
Strategy is cross-functional—so OE must be too. Collaborate with leaders across departments to identify pain points and opportunities that align with strategic objectives.
4. Measure What Matters
Develop KPIs that reflect both operational performance and strategic impact. For example, reducing cycle time might support a broader goal of improving customer satisfaction.
5. Communicate the Connection
Make the strategic alignment visible. Use dashboards, storytelling, and executive updates to show how OE work is driving business results.
🔄 Bringing It All Together
Coaching resistant leaders and aligning OE with strategy are two sides of the same coin. When leaders understand the strategic value of OE—and feel supported through the change process—they become champions of transformation.
As change agents, our role is to bridge the gap between vision and execution, resistance and engagement, strategy and operations. And when we do, we don’t just improve processes—we elevate people and performance.
