How Leaders Confidently Navigate Change and Even Gain Trust in the Process
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s change. It’s inevitable and happening faster than ever. And every transformation is a powder keg: Any leader who thinks they can navigate a change process with platitudes and watered-down announcements risks far more than just a bad atmosphere. Beating around the bush jeopardizes the foundation on which every company stands: the trust of its employees and the credibility of its leaders. Why is that—and what do excellent leaders do differently?
Only those who point the way forward with clear communication can expect change to actually work.
Change without clarity: The fastest route to chaos
It is no coincidence that, according to a McKinsey study, up to 70% of all transformation projects fail to meet their goals (Source: McKinsey, “The irrational side of change management,” 2009). A key cause: inadequate communication. Instead of a clear, honest narrative, employees receive cryptic PowerPoint slides, contradictory signals, or whitewashed memos. The result? Distrust, rumors, and internal resignation.
Examples abound:
- Thyssenkrupp (2019): During the corporate restructuring, conflicting goals were played out publicly for months. Employees were confused, investors lost confidence, and the stock price plummeted (Source: Handelsblatt, Oct. 11, 2019).
- Deutsche Bank (2016–2019): Various announcements regarding job cuts were constantly revised without reliable timelines or tangible prospects. The result: an unsettled team and a massive loss of reputation among job applicants and investors: “95% of market value has been lost, the outlook is chaotic” (Source: FAZ, July 8, 2019).
The Target Situation: Change as an Opportunity to Strengthen Trust
Leaders who view change communication as a strategic management tool achieve exactly the opposite: they turn change into a platform for credibility. They convey a clear picture of the direction and motives to their employees. They communicate understandable consequences and show ways in which each and every individual can contribute to success.
The goal: ✅ Employees understand why the change is necessary. ✅ They recognize their own role in the process. ✅ The company presents itself internally and externally as a united, capable organization.
Change succeeds when the common goal becomes clear. Photo: Adobe Stock
Three mistakes leaders must absolutely avoid
1️⃣ Remaining silent for too long: Those who plan changes but delay the timing of communication leave the field open to speculation. Control over information is lost, the rumor mill runs wild, and trust erodes. 2️⃣ Sugarcoating instead of explaining: Those who sugarcoat negative news may soften the immediate reaction but permanently destroy credibility. 3️⃣ Contradictory messages: Differing statements from the executive board, managers, or HR create chaos and paralyze the organization.
Principles of Success: How Communication Makes Change Processes Successful
- Provide guidance early on: SAP led by example: During the 2020 corporate restructuring, the Executive Board used internal town hall meetings to inform employees about the rationale, plans, and expected benefits even before the reorganization began.
- Employees were involved in workshops—this fostered a sense of participation and trust. Nevertheless, SAP’s stock plummeted by 20 percent virtually overnight. In financial terms, 30 billion euros were wiped out. Today, SAP is by far the most valuable German company and ranks 32nd in the world.
- Establishing an open culture of accountability: In 2017, automotive supplier Bosch openly communicated economic challenges and necessary restructuring. By having executives clearly acknowledge mistakes and actively involving the workforce in solution-finding processes, motivation remained high, workplace harmony was preserved, and the employer brand stayed strong. Unfortunately, due to the phase-out of internal combustion engines, the company is now once again facing major economic difficulties.
- Develop an effective storyline: Successful change communication requires a consistent narrative that explains rationally, connects emotionally, and conveys a clear vision. This story must be identical across all channels (employee meetings, intranet, press).
Concrete methods you can apply immediately
✔️ Create a communication roadmap: Determine who sends which messages to whom and when. ✔️ Prepare a Q&A document: Proactively answer your target groups’ most pressing questions. ✔️ Complete media training: Learn to answer difficult questions confidently and empathetically to maintain your credibility even during public appearances. ✔️ Establish feedback loops: Regular pulse checks among the workforce reveal early signs of uncertainty and enable quick responses. A few years ago, I supported the restructuring of a large German mid-sized company—40,000 employees, more than half of whom were based in Germany. The locations were reorganized by the executive board, and some employees had to relocate. Our mandate: to prepare the executive board and works council so that communication would be consistent across all locations—using uniform wording and a clear stance—and to critically review the concept from an external expert’s perspective.
Six weeks before the deadline, we launched the communication plan. This was followed by close coordination with the executive board, works council, and corporate communications.
Shortly before D-Day, two-day communication training sessions took place simultaneously at all locations.
The goal: to prevent rumors and build trust. The strategy worked. The workforce felt seen and valued. The restructuring was a complete success.
Unfortunately, this remains the exception to this day.
Conclusion: Plain Talk as a Leadership Task
Change without clear communication is like an expedition without a map: aimless, risky, and expensive. As a leader, your greatest lever is communication: Say what is. Explain why. And show where we’re going.
Let’s work together to turn your communication skills into a true game-changer. We’ll help you not only survive change but actively shape it. 👉 Schedule a strategy session now with Dr. Nikolai A. Behr and the team at the German Institute for Communication & Media Training: ☎️ Phone: 0700 CALL-BEHR 📧 office@medientraining-institut.de
(first published on LinkedIn July 2025)