Press Release: Overly Optimistic Leadership Drives Organizational Divide Between Staff

Overly Optimistic Leadership Drives Organizational Divide Between Staff

— New Survey from Notion Consulting Says: C-Suite’s Rose-Colored Glasses

Lead to Disengagement and Turnover —

NEW YORK (October 26, 2022) – Notion Consulting, a leadership and transformation consultancy, today announced the results of their latest study, The Change Report 2022: A Study of Attitudes, Perceptions, and Impact of Workplace Change. One of the biggest post-pandemic learnings is that the C-suite is out of sync with the rest of their organization, tending to view change through rose-colored glasses. Meanwhile, employees and people managers are struggling for transparency, respect, and recognition.

“Our latest study reinforces what we tell all our clients: in order to drive successful transformation, leadership must understand that change is about people – their experiences, their behaviors, and their mindsets,” said Christine Andrukonis, founder and senior partner at Notion Consulting. “Those who stay curious, open-minded, and empathetic will reap the benefits — or otherwise risk disengaging and even losing key talent and customers, and ultimately damage their bottom line. It’s a delicate but meaningful balance.”

In August and September 2022, the company surveyed 325 U.S. professionals, ranging from C-suite executives to junior-level employees, about their experience with change in the workplace in 2022. Following are other key lessons from the study:

It’s tough leading people when change is constant. 75% of the workforce experienced three or more major changes in the past 12 months. While change is necessary and often exhilarating, a constant swirl can impact the employee experience for the short- and long-term.
Attitudes vary dramatically based on where people sit. Most leadership (56%) is overwhelmingly optimistic about change, proclaiming themselves as “Enthusiasts” and “Champions” of their emotional commitment to it, whereas individual employees are more hesitant and skeptical, considering themselves only “Bystanders” (4%) and “Skeptics” (37%). Significantly, 3% of participants expressed a desire to leave their organization when hearing change is coming.
Successful change needs more human connection and empathy. 60% of organizations are “mediocre or worse” at retaining and engaging employees. Top talent is leaving these organizations during times of change, causing employees to disengage (“quiet quitting”). They are feeling unseen, under-valued, and unappreciated, which puts the business at risk.
Managing change matters – and how it’s done can impact results. 40% of organizations are failing to meet business objectives during times of change. Regarding the factors that make change management successful, 50% of organizations are “mediocre or worse” at delivering best practices.

Prior to the pandemic, Notion Consulting interviewed 50 Fortune 500 executives and successful entrepreneurs about their business challenges in leading change. The proprietary study, Change 2020: How Successful Leaders Drive Change Now, has laid the groundwork for their efforts to create a community of practice and dialogue about leadership and change. On an ongoing basis, Notion Consulting surveys their network of HR leaders about how they are helping employees navigate the evolving workplace, and continues to lead roundtable discussions to address leadership issues during times of uncertainty.

About Notion Consulting

Notion Consulting is a leadership and transformation consultancy that helps organizations harness the full power of their people to drive change, advance their mission, and unleash their competitive edge. The company works with high-profile organizations such as American Express, Chanel, Datto, FedEx, The Estée Lauder Companies, Goldman Sachs, Hess, Johnson & Johnson, JP Morgan Chase, L’Oreal, The NFL, Pfizer, and Shiseido to help C-suite executives lead change: activate their teams to shift strategy and structure, establish new business models and capabilities, enhance processes and technology, and strengthen talent and culture. Established in 2015, Notion has equipped more than 150,000 leaders and employees to drive change and positively impact the future of their companies and teams. Visit notionconsulting.com for more information and follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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