Lead engagement and manage risk during change

This standard is about leading engagement and managing risk during change in ways that support colleagues, stakeholders and organisational outcomes. You determine the information you need, gather and analyse evidence and evaluate concerns, risks, resistance and emerging impacts. You communicate clearly, promote inclusion and shared understanding and collaborate with colleagues to support constructive engagement with change. You monitor the impact of change, escalate concerns when required and adapt your approach when conditions change. You apply relevant leadership, management and change-risk theories and models to strengthen engagement and risk management.

This standard applies to managers and leaders at all levels across all sectors.

1. Determine the information you need to lead engagement and manage risk during change to support organisational priorities and outcomes.
2. Gather and analyse information from relevant sources to understand concerns, risks, resistance and emerging impacts.
3. Analyse the factors contributing to resistance to identify underlying causes and inform proportionate action.
4. Communicate in ways that support shared understanding of risks, impacts and expectations during change.
5. Listen actively to understand concerns, questions and experiences and use this insight to support constructive engagement.
6. Evaluate risks, resistance and emerging impacts to identify actions that limit negative effects and support progress.
7. Develop and implement actions that support constructive engagement with change and reduce resistance.
8. Adapt your communication and behaviour to support people’s participation, confidence and engagement during change.
9. Respond constructively to concerns raised by colleagues in line with organisational procedures to maintain trust and support constructive engagement with change.
10. Collaborate with colleagues to coordinate engagement and manage risk during change to support alignment and timely action.
11. Monitor behaviours that may affect engagement with change and respond in line with organisational procedures to maintain a positive working environment.
12. Monitor the impact of change to identify emerging risks, unintended impacts and patterns that may require action.
13. Escalate concerns that may affect the success of change in line with organisational procedures to support timely resolution.
14. Adapt plans and actions in response to resistance, risk and emerging impacts to maintain progress and alignment.
15. Apply relevant leadership, management and change-risk theories and models to strengthen engagement and risk management during change.
16. Reflect critically on your performance and behaviour to identify improvements in how you lead engagement and manage risk during change.

1. The meaning and purpose of resistance, risk and unintended impacts during change and how these affect organisational outcomes.
2. The factors that influence resistance, risk and unintended impacts during change.
3. How to determine and gather the information you need to lead engagement and manage risk during change.
4. How to analyse information to understand the causes and implications of resistance, risk and emerging impacts.
5. How to communicate in ways that support shared understanding of risks, impacts and expectations during change.
6. How to adapt your communication and behaviour to support people’s participation, confidence and engagement.
7. How to listen actively to understand concerns, questions and experiences.
8. How to develop and implement actions that support constructive engagement with change and reduce resistance.
9. How to collaborate with colleagues to coordinate engagement and manage risk during change.
10. How to evaluate risks, resistance and emerging impacts to identify actions that limit their effect.
11. How to respond constructively to concerns raised by colleagues in line with organisational procedures.
12. How to recognise behaviours that may affect engagement with change and how to respond in line with organisational procedures.
13. How to monitor the impact of change to identify emerging risks, unintended impacts and patterns that may require action.
14. How to escalate concerns that may affect the success of change and adapt plans and actions in response to resistance, risk or emerging impacts.
15. How leadership, management and change-risk theories and models can strengthen engagement and risk management during change, and how to reflect critically on your performance to identify opportunities for improvement.

The following values underpin this standard. They are integrated throughout the performance criteria and knowledge and understanding requirements and inform how individuals approach their work, make decisions and interact with others.

• Integrity - acting consistently with organisational values when managing resistance and risk.
• Openness - sharing information to support clarity and understanding.
• Inclusion - valuing diverse perspectives when responding to resistance.
• Respect - treating people with dignity when discussing concerns or consequences.
• Responsibility - taking ownership of your role in managing resistance and risk.
• Stewardship - protecting people, resources and organisational outcomes.

The following behaviours underpin this standard. They are integrated throughout the performance criteria and knowledge and understanding requirements and inform how individuals approach their work, make decisions and interact with others.

• Act with integrity, aligning your actions with organisational values.
• Be inclusive, valuing diverse perspectives when responding to resistance.
• Act with respect, treating people with dignity during uncertainty.
• Communicate openly, supporting clarity and shared understanding.
• Be collaborative, enabling colleagues to address risks and unintended impacts.
• Take accountability for your role in managing resistance, risk and unintended consequences.
• Consider wellbeing, recognising how risk, resistance and uncertainty affect people’s confidence and workload.