Many executives believe organization change is driven from the top down. Others argue for a bottom-up approach, with change initiatives being pushed organically by employees on the front lines. Our research tells a different story. See what we found in our research into insight-driven change, studying nearly one million change journeys across 150 global corporations.

1. Memo to the C-suite:
You are not the
main driver of change

2. 2
Many executives believe organization
change is driven from the top down.
Others argue for a bottom-up
approach, with change initiatives being
pushed organically by employees on
the front lines.
Our research tells a different story.
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.

3. 3
Our data shows the most successful
change programs radiate neither from
the top nor bottom of the organization,
but from the center – from business
unit leaders.
Where does the real power for successful
change lie?
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.

4. 4
1 Effectively implementing change
2 Delivering business benefits
3 Ensuring high levels
of sustained business
performance
Business unit leaders play the most
significant role in:
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
1
2 3

5. 5
In our research studying nearly one million change journeys, we identified
10 major drivers of successful change – with business leadership having the
most significant impact on business performance and a substantial effect
on benefits realization.
Nothing budges without being nurtured,
nudged, pushed or prodded by business
unit leadership
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 5

6. 6
From the top down business unit leaders translate the corporate vision into
terms staffers can understand and embrace. From the bottom up they ensure
teams below them are well led and have the resources to do their jobs.
Business unit leaders connect the top
and bottom of the organization
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 6

7. 7
Strength at the top can be counterproductive if there are leadership
deficiencies elsewhere.
Successful change requires strong
leadership at all levels
Highest-performing change programs
have strong, consistent capabilities
in leading change across all levels
of leadership.
Lowest-performing change programs
have strong leadership capability at the
top to implement change, but
diminishing capabilities at the business
unit leader and team leader levels.
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 7

8. 8
1
Set the vision and create the
environment for change, removing
roadblocks that get in the way of
widespread emotional commitment.
The role of the C-suite in driving change?
Be the catalyst…not the driver
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.

9. 9
The C-suite as the catalyst for change
2
Ensure the right business leaders are in
place with the comprehensive set of skills
needed to work with the C-suite, team
leaders and teams to drive change.
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
30-40%
Improvement in the level of business
leadership is often required to bring
off-track change back on track.

10. 10
Our data shows that attaining the highest levels of business
performance requires this core strength, enabling organizations
not just to endure change but truly thrive on it.
The C-suite as the catalyst for change
3
Work through business leadership to
build change capability across all levels
of the organization.
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.

11. 11Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
Learn more:
www.accenture.com/BusinessLeadersDriveChange
Also read “Turning change upside down: How new insights are changing old
assumptions”:
www.accenture.com/MythsofChange

12. 12
Join the conversation
@AccentureStrat
#workforceofthefuture
#insightdrivenchange
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