Explore the essential aspects of effective change leadership beyond mere communication. Discover the differences between change leadership and management as we explore eight myths of change communication.
Change is inevitable, but effective change leadership is not just about communication — it’s about behavior, vision and trust. Too often, leaders focus on the mechanics of change management without embodying the leadership behaviors necessary to guide their teams through uncertainty.
When change leadership is weak, employees disengage, resist change, or see it as just another corporate directive. And that’s often seen throughout organizations today. Not only is change fatigue now considered one of the top five barriers to success, according to communications and HR leaders, but employee engagement has also fallen to its lowest level in a decade. According to Gallup, employee engagement is at just 31 percent, a ten-year low last seen in 2014.
Strong change leadership, on the other hand, build confidence, encourage alignment, and foster adaptability. However, many leaders fail to recognize that their communication habits, decision-making styles, and visibility directly impact how well change is adopted across their teams.
Change Leadership vs. Change Management: Understanding the Difference
Before you can understand how to effectively model change leadership, you need to understand the difference between change leadership and change management. While both are necessary, they serve different purposes and require different skill sets.
Change management is the structured process of implementing change, including engagement plans, training and communications. It is operational and process-driven, including tactical elements such as stakeholder assessments, training programs, and feedback loops to help ease employees into new ways of working.
On the other hand, “Change leadership is about motivating and inspiring and engaging people in the journey that we’re going to be on. And it’s about modeling the behavior that you expect to see in others,” says Verna Montgomery, senior manager of People and Change at Centric Consulting, “The keys to effective change leadership are not just about informing, inspiring and involving. It’s about modeling behavior. It’s about being visionary.” In other words, change leadership is not simply about implementing a process. It’s about creating a movement that people want to join.
Leaders who rely solely on change management tactics without embracing the human aspect of leadership risk disengagement. Employees don’t just want to know what’s changing — they want to feel led through the change. To effectively lead them through that change, we need to bust some myths about leadership and communications.
8 Change Leadership Communication Myths
Effective communication is crucial during organizational change. However, a recent survey revealed that 75 percent of business leaders believe their teams struggle with effective communication. The same study, from AI-writing assistant Grammarly, also found that poor communication could total $1.2 trillion in annual losses for businesses based in the US.
Change leadership plays a critical role in helping to reduce the burnout and struggle associated with communication overload by highlighting the need for both effective communication and modeling that change. Leaders often assume they’re communicating successfully during times of change, but their messaging may be causing more harm than good. To mitigate any such harm, here are eight common myths about leadership communication, real-world examples we’ve encountered, and what to do instead:
Myth 1: Transparency Means Sharing Everything
Leaders often believe full transparency builds trust, but oversharing can create confusion and anxiety. For example, one leader felt it was important to share salary data across an organization, causing frustration and disengagement. Similarly, sharing incomplete or uncertain information about upcoming changes can lead to unnecessary speculation and fear. Transparency should be strategic and audience-appropriate to maintain trust without unnecessary disruption.
Instead, you should share relevant, actionable information with clear context. Avoid speculation and focus on structured communication that provides employees with confidence in leadership’s direction.
Myth 2: Great Leaders Can “Wing It”
Some leaders assume their natural charisma will carry them through tough conversations, but poor preparation results in vague or inconsistent messaging. One executive we worked with frequently spoke “off script” during company-wide meetings, leading to conflicting statements and unnecessary panic — and in several examples, it’s even led to financial and legal risk. Employees need clarity, and improvisation can undermine credibility and trust.
Instead, you need to ensure consistency with thoughtful preparation. You should craft key messages, anticipate concerns and rehearse your, which will inspire confidence and reinforce alignment across the organization.
Myth 3: Change Communication Is Someone Else’s Job
Many leaders believe HR or Marketing should handle all communication, but employees want to hear directly from leadership. In one company’s reorganization, HR delivered the messaging, but managers weren’t properly briefed, leading to widespread confusion and panic. Employees turned to their direct supervisors for clarity, but without proper guidance, misinformation spread quickly.
Instead, you need to actively participate in change communication. You and your organization’s other managers must be well-informed and prepared to deliver consistent messaging, reinforcing clarity and alignment at every level.
Myth 4: Communication Skills Don’t Need Development
Some leaders assume that effective communication is an innate ability rather than a skill to refine. One executive, experienced in external media relations, struggled with internal messaging during a major transition. Their detached delivery and lack of engagement, sometimes perfect for external messaging, left their internal teams feeling disconnected and uncertain.
Instead, leadership communication requires practice. Invest in coaching, seeking feedback, and refining messaging so you and your other leadership can connect with employees and foster engagement during times of change.
Myth 5: Internal Communications Is Less Important Than External Messaging
Similar to the example mentioned above, organizations often focus on external branding while neglecting internal messaging. In yet another case, employees learned about a company restructuring from media reports rather than leadership, making them feel undervalued and excluded. When employees are left in the dark, rumors and misinformation take hold.
What to do instead: Internal communication should be a priority. You need to keep your team members informed with timely updates, ensuring they hear about company changes before external stakeholders do.
Myth 6: Nonverbal Communication Doesn’t Matter in Virtual Environments
Remote work has changed how leaders communicate, but presence still matters. At one company, an executive announced a restructuring via video call but kept their camera off and spoke in a monotone voice. Employees perceived the leader as disengaged, fueling uncertainty about the future.
While everyone can feel burnout or “Zoom fatigue,” you still need to turn on your cameras during critical communications, maintain eye contact, and use an engaging tone. Non-verbal cues play a crucial role in reinforcing trust and confidence, even in virtual settings.
Myth 7: Employees Will Follow the Change if Leaders Announce It
Announcing a change isn’t enough — employees need to see leaders modeling the desired behavior. In one example, a company introduced an agile workflow but failed to adopt it at the leadership level, causing employees to resist the shift. Without leadership buy-in, change efforts often stall.
You must exemplify the change you want to see. If adaptability is key, you should demonstrate flexibility. Employees take cues from leadership behavior and follow by example. In fact, in a study involving 535 managers from a South Korean financial institution, transformational leadership positively impacted employees’ commitment to change and enhanced their innovative behavior.
Myth 8: Great Leaders Are Born, Not Made
“A lot of leaders have gotten to their leadership role by being technically excellent,” says Montgomery, “Knowing their stuff doesn’t make them good communicators. And they’re very reluctant to get coaching.”
Some executives believe leadership is an innate trait rather than a skill that requires continuous growth. But leadership is a learned skill that requires you to invest in coaching, seek feedback and refine your communication techniques to ensure you remain effective and adaptable during change.
By recognizing and addressing these myths, leaders can shift from ineffective communication to a more intentional, trust-building approach. Change leadership isn’t just about correcting misconceptions — it’s about taking actionable steps to ensure employees feel heard, supported and motivated.
Leadership During Change Management Is More Than a Message
True change leadership extends beyond emails and announcements. It’s about showing up, communicating with intent, and leading by example. While change management provides the structure, change leadership ensures people feel motivated, aligned and engaged throughout the process.
By shifting from managing change to truly leading it, organizations can create lasting transformation that employees embrace, rather than endure.
Our organizational change management checklist will help you make sure to hit the top ten leading principles throughout your change implementation.
Change is inevitable, but successful transformation requires more than just a project-by-project approach. We specialize in Enterprise Change Management (ECM) — enabling your organization to enable change and create a competitive advantage. Skip frustrated employees, missed opportunities, and a lack of sustainable transformation by working with ECM experts to drive your organization toward change. Learn more
