Inspirer of the week, Jenny Randau Mellander, offers her best leadership tips in times of change, perhaps one of the toughest challenges a leader can face.

In an increasingly changing world, leadership through change and growth is no longer a choice but a necessity. We spoke to Jenny, an experienced leader, to get her perspective on how to effectively navigate these dynamic processes.

Jenny, what is your experience in leading change?

In the beginning of my career, I worked a lot with individual coaching, but quickly grew to lead larger change projects in different organizations and industries. From initially introducing a coaching approach in Telecom at Europolitan/Vodafone, to digitizing Göteborgs-Posten and Stampen Media in transitioning business from print to online. Now I work in the SaaS industry to drive growth at Simployer, where acquisition, speed and flexibility are crucial.

For me, the balance between organization, team and individual is important. By "organization" I mean steering the business towards profitability by focusing on customer and business value. I feel that we often forget the customer, even though it is for them that we want to create value. Choosing the right focus, daring to prioritize and finding the driving force in employees is crucial. That's how we unleash creativity, create a clear direction and make wise decisions in change.

How do you adapt your leadership style to the different phases of change?

Leading change requires insight into when, how and why the change is needed. Each phase of the process requires a unique leadership style.

i) In the beginning, I focus on getting everyone on board. It's about listening, explaining and envisioning the change - all with humility. We often change the office environment to new places to strengthen the team spirit and use the design-thinking method "Rose-Bud-Thorn" to identify what to keep, develop or drop. In this way, we create a common understanding that everyone values highly.

ii) When confusion sets in, it is my job as a leader to provide clarity, support and guidance through the uncertainty. It is important to keep your eyes on the goal, visibly make progress, give feedback and take small steps forward to avoid setbacks.

iii) Finally, when we feel satisfied and have achieved our goals, it is important to celebrate! Highlight all the achievements, reflect on what we have learned and discuss future challenges and priorities. It is these moments that energize us to keep striving forward 😊

Change affects us differently. As a leader, I need to relate to the change myself, leading towards the new direction while supporting the team. Open dialog, clear communication and understanding each other's roles and goals increase engagement. It is through these dynamics that strong teams are created, even when departmental boundaries are challenging.

Given the rapid evolution of technology, how do you see the future of leadership in change and growth?

As future leaders, we should see technology as an opportunity, while critically examining its impact and using innovation in a smart way. A strong vision and belief in the future, an understanding of the mechanisms of change and the ability to inspire are, I believe, a magic combination for success.

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