It’s no surprise ‘change leadership’ is so sought after

The history of the UK has any number of periods of upheaval and disruption, whether you’re talking about the Industrial Revolution, huge cultural shifts like the Swingin’ Sixties or radical changes due to progress in digital technology or transport, they’ve all affected the way in which we live. These changes are a problem for businesses, who delicately balance two extremes; traditionally preferring calm and settled conditions, but also embracing these shifts to gain a competitive advantage.

When ‘business as usual’ will mean no more business

We’ve seen how failure to handle big changes costs companies dearly. Big names such as Maplin and Toys ‘Я’ Us failed to recognise and respond to what customers wanted and literally dwindled away. In the last few years, many businesses have realised it’s better to predict these changes before they arrive, but it’s an extremely difficult task. A further challenge is to effect cultural or operational change at every level, as it can take a long time to not only update systems, operations and software, but also handle the most unpredictable resource a business has – the human element.

Generally speaking, people don’t like change and some resist it entirely. Two phrases specifically are feared by many managers, “But that’s how we’ve always done things” and “What was wrong with the old way?” Companies now recognise that it’s vital to be agile, responsive and seize opportunities to best serve their customers, which is why change leadership has become so prized.

The challenge businesses have to find the right people

The truth is, however, that there’s a shortage of suitable candidates with the right skillset to be effective change leaders and even fewer who can demonstrate their capabilities with the proper qualifications and credentials. This is why we’ve harnessed the world-class expertise and academics available at the University of York to create a range of 100% online Masters degrees in Leadership and Management, giving you the ability to demonstrate your capabilities to solve problems through innovative thought and objectively evaluate ideas.

Skills that you’ll perfect during study include effective communication and critical approaches to problem solving, which are extremely desirable to companies who need high-quality change leadership. The ability to solve a problem, such as adapting to sudden changes in customer behaviour, provides a unique competitive advantage to businesses. Keeping the workforce informed and connected to the wider company strategy and aims is one of the most effective ways to reduce resistance to changes in procedure or culture – and it also reduces the chances of misunderstanding or missing the bigger picture of why the change is necessary.

You’ll receive a top-class MSc from a prestigious Russell Group university, but with the ability to study whenever and wherever you like. As you can learn in your spare time, you don’t have to give up your current role or take a costly career break and we’ve removed large, up-front course fees with a pay-per-module structure. We even provide six start dates throughout the year, meaning you don’t have to wait for a new school year to begin.

While we can be sure that change will continue to be a constant throughout the business world, with the right skillset and qualifications you can not only weather the change, but use it to help your business thrive.

To find out more and apply, simply click here