--- title: Why Change? Great Change Leadership Starts with Your Case for Change description: Great change leadership starts with your case for change. It outlines the purpose of your change so that your leaders and stakeholders fully understand it. image: https://blog.beingfirst.com/hubfs/Blog_Images/Why%20Change.jpeg --- [![Being-First-Official-Logo_175x162v2](https://blog.beingfirst.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/Being-First-Official-Logo_175x162v2.jpg?width=175&height=162&name=Being-First-Official-Logo_175x162v2.jpg "Being-First-Official-Logo_175x162v2")](http://Being%20First,%20Inc.) [![Being First, Inc.](https://blog.beingfirst.com/hubfs/BF%20Logo.svg "Being First, Inc.")](http://Being%20First,%20Inc.) 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Great Change Leadership Starts with Your Case for Change by [Dr. Linda Ackerman Anderson](https://blog.beingfirst.com/author/dr-linda-ackerman-anderson) | Jan 3, 2017 ## What is a Case for Change? When you initiate a change in your organization, your stakeholders and leaders will have questions about what is changing, why it is needed, the scope of the change, its urgency, outcomes, etc. Successful change leaders start with a case for change. Your case for change answers these questions so your impacted stakeholders and leaders can understand the purpose for small or large-scale transformation initiatives. Your case for change is different than your business case. A business case typically outlines the financial requirements and incentives for the project. Your case for change and desired outcomes will [engage employees](https://blog.beingfirst.com/ensure-employee-commitment-to-change-initiatives-creating-relevance-and-meaning) and convey to your stakeholders why they should invest in the effort required by the change. It is the statement that informs and compels them to engage and contribute. If they don’t understand the “why,” they won’t get on board. Financial goals, while important, may not be seen by stakeholders as directly ensuring their job security, for example, or for creating a satisfying work environment. ## [![ CHANGE LEADERSHIP WEBINAR: Launching Organizational Change](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/518489/3d7b7467-3841-4f2e-bcde-c12bfadb6185.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/518489/3d7b7467-3841-4f2e-bcde-c12bfadb6185) ## A Case for Change Ensures Stakeholder Engagement Your case for change is designed to motivate stakeholders to join in and make the change a success. [Without a clear case for change,](https://blog.beingfirst.com/are-these-mistakes-getting-in-the-way-of-leading-transformational-change-successfully) your change initiative will lack relevance for employees and may cause resistance, confusion, and insecurity. While some stakeholders may see change initiatives as an opportunity, [others typically see the change initiative as a threat.](https://blog.beingfirst.com/5-reasons-why-organizational-change-fails) Creating the case for change and your initial objectives creates a common view about the change, [ensures stakeholder engagement,](https://blog.beingfirst.com/employee-engagement-as-a-key-strategy-for-change) and gives the effort meaning, direction, and energy. [![Watch the Webinar: Stakeholder Engagement: How to Reduce Resistance](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/518489/42ba327d-cc66-4a6f-a104-0f091ab5a45e.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/518489/42ba327d-cc66-4a6f-a104-0f091ab5a45e) ## What to Include in Your Case for Change  An effective case for change includes the following: - The drivers of change, from environmental forces to business strategy, as well as organization, cultural, and behavioral requirements - [Type of change](https://breakthrough.beingfirst.com/courses/identifying-your-type-of-change-tlib3/)—developmental, transitional, or transformational - Leverage points for changing the systems dynamics of the organization in support of the initiative - Initial impacts that inform scope - Target groups of the change: who must change - Scope of the change - Urgency for the change [![FREE TOOL: Identify Your Type of Change](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/518489/cd94fa89-f2b1-40f9-a9ca-90abe194048a.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/518489/cd94fa89-f2b1-40f9-a9ca-90abe194048a)   ## ![InfoGraphic_Case-for-Change-Framework_FINAL-1-1.jpg](https://blog.beingfirst.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/InfoGraphic_Case-for-Change-Framework_FINAL-1-1.jpg?width=320&name=InfoGraphic_Case-for-Change-Framework_FINAL-1-1.jpg)Building Your Case for Change The information for your case for change may already have been generated through the organization's business strategy efforts. If so, take the exploration of the business strategy to the next level of specificity. Ask yourself [“How does the business strategy require the organization to change?”](https://blog.beingfirst.com/building-a-transformation-strategy-that-achieves-your-company-vision)Use the business strategy as input to your case to ensure that you have a complete picture and that your case for change is driven by your business strategy. The elements of the case for change are very different than the typical “Scope, Schedule, Budget” that good project management requires. The conversations that make up your case for change precede and inform scope, schedule and budget. While a project team will ask for these three decisions, the case for change comes first and sets the stage for stakeholder buy-in. Your case for change will be strengthened by clarifying the desired outcomes for your effort—what value you intend to produce. Your outcomes should communicate [your vision for the outcome,](https://blog.beingfirst.com/building-a-transformation-strategy-that-achieves-your-company-vision)the results you require, the benefits your organization will reap, and a picture or definition of success. These are different than your financial goals. You can communicate your financial metrics as well, but not as the ultimate end-game, as they do not reveal the “why.” ## Who Owns and Builds the Case for Change? Your senior leaders need to own the case for change as their unified direction. Otherwise, it becomes a nice document that sits on a shelf and does not drive the change forward. But who builds it? The leaders themselves can do this work, ideally guided by a change facilitator who understands the elements of a case for change and who can shape the leaders’ conversation and decisions. Drafts can be created by a project team, but their work must be understood by the leaders who are sponsoring the change initiative.  Consider engaging your front-line employees and middle managers in creating your case for change. They add credibility for employees regarding the assessment of need, leverage points for change, and impacts. The participation of these stakeholders is an enormous catalyst for their understanding and commitment. Consolidate the final case into a clear picture of the why and the what. This is often [tailored to the various stakeholder groups](https://blog.beingfirst.com/co-create-your-transformational-vision-statement-with-vitality-and-purpose)so that it is most relevant to their particular needs and motivations. [![Want to master these skills? Consider enrolling in our upcoming online course and learn the best practices of leading transformational change. Click here to learn more.](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/518489/1af814c9-4c9d-470f-bbe3-f0a88722c0f4.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/518489/1af814c9-4c9d-470f-bbe3-f0a88722c0f4)   RELATED RESOURCE [![Get this free online tool to identify the type of change happening in your organization.](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/518489/4dd8605c-9a1f-47fa-ab00-ecc4313d9d12.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/518489/4dd8605c-9a1f-47fa-ab00-ecc4313d9d12)   - - - - #### About the author Dr. Linda Ackerman Anderson [Follow me on my website](https://www.beingfirst.com/about/meet-our-team/linda-ackerman-anderson/) [Follow me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindaackermananderson/) Dr. Linda Ackerman Anderson is an international speaker, bestselling author, and strategic advisor to the C-Suite and change consultants world-wide. For forty years, Dr. Ackerman Anderson has been guiding visionary leaders of America’s Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and global non-profit organizations to transform themselves and their organizations to Achieve Breakthrough in business results, culture, leadership, and executive team performance. Linda is the co-founder of Being First, one of America’s most innovative transformational consulting firms, and, with her partner, Dr. Dean Anderson, a co-creator of Conscious Change Leadership, an advanced Body of Work that integrates personal and organizational transformation. Linda received an honorary doctoral degree from Brandman University, part of the Chapman University system, for this pioneering work. Linda co-authored two cutting edge books that have become classics in the field of organizational transformation: Beyond Change Management: How to Achieve Breakthrough Results through Conscious Change Leadership, and The Change Leader’s Roadmap: How to Navigate Your Organization’s Transformation. She and her co-author, Dr. Dean Anderson, have published over 50 articles on human performance and organizational change, and are the co-developers of The Change Leader’s Roadmap Methodology. Topics:   [Culture](https://blog.beingfirst.com/tag/culture) ,   [Change Leader's Roadmap Methodology](https://blog.beingfirst.com/tag/change-leaders-roadmap-methodology) ,   [Conscious Change Leadership](https://blog.beingfirst.com/tag/conscious-change-leadership) ### Related posts [The Power of Using Wake-Up Calls to Anticipate and Navigate Change](https://blog.beingfirst.com/power-of-wake-up-calls-to-navigate-change) [Navigate Complex Transformation Waters with the Change Leader's Roadmap](https://blog.beingfirst.com/navigating-complex-transformation-with-the-change-leaders-roadmap) [The "Bless and Delegate" Change Sponsor: A Predictable Threat to Transformation](https://blog.beingfirst.com/the-bless-and-delegate-sponsor-transformational-change) [Unlocking Transformation: The Power of Conscious Change Leadership](https://blog.beingfirst.com/unlocking-transformation-the-power-of-conscious-change-leadership) [How to Reduce the Chaos When Launching Change: Conditions for Success](https://blog.beingfirst.com/reduce-tchaos-when-launching-change-conditions-for-success) [![BF_Logo_White_180101-088547-edited](https://blog.beingfirst.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos_BF_2018/BF_Logo_White_180101-088547-edited.png?width=218&height=150&name=BF_Logo_White_180101-088547-edited.png "BF_Logo_White_180101-088547-edited")](http://Being%20First,%20Inc.) *Equipping leaders with the ability to solve complex challenges and catalyze transformation in themselves, their organizations, communities and cultures.*   #### USEFUL LINKS - [Upcoming Events & Programs](https://breakthrough.beingfirst.com/event-calendar) - [Courses](https://breakthrough.beingfirst.com/course-directory/) - [Resources & Tools](https://breakthrough.beingfirst.com/resources-tools/) - [Contact Us](http://beingfirst.com/contact-us) FOLLOW US [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BeingFirstInc) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1200498) [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/beingfirst) SUBSCRIBE NOW Get the latest thought leadership, tips and tools on Conscious Change Leadership and achieving personal and organizational breakthrough direct in your inbox.   [SUBSCRIBE](https://info.beingfirst.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=746227c4-10bb-44b3-87fc-aa89eaa44c62&signature=AAH58kGvd0y5ngmSIUjPolyhT7-L9Ezz6A&placement_guid=5ff782ce-4828-4519-a8c9-b1dad9acb13c&click=4ce2b898-a5cb-4ecc-b062-daa60aca3fb7&hsutk=6f6ef3c22aad9de47e9351d0f82de550&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fbreakthrough.beingfirst.com%2F&portal_id=518489&redirect_url=APefjpEttadornAKsRWEoOak-oqp31EyN4Q_dmtQLdEDMtXYlolW7x4Ez4XdRbq49Et_O1UTvfXKjC0oKDwLT402IfKBU8Zqh10COpDpehY0reOQiqBsfDPlvY5d_tu6GIjgu8c5odAS2pgIE50ZwzoF0aZZrc8o2LUIE-8KMT7MBh0HoWC0OD6lb7RNze2ZH0F45pecdWOHyxt9x1W6vivLioWhoPHZnHR1DTT40v0tle4t0cFhcbqtcZJH6ZNxCDd_jSI5tMNGV9XhisFziRYYbZp8w-UEhdLAWDnlAIaFqeo3cjrG4TF6RatsTOHFoqPUhg5G9Au6&__hstc=168045118.6f6ef3c22aad9de47e9351d0f82de550.1686799174230.1694537083141.1694540426246.104&__hssc=168045118.3.1694540426246&__hsfp=2926660606) © 2023 Being First, Inc.  |  [Privacy Policy](https://breakthrough.beingfirst.com/privacy-policy/) |  [Terms of Service](https://beingfirst.com/terms-of-service/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Dr. Linda Ackerman Anderson", "url" : "https://blog.beingfirst.com/author/dr-linda-ackerman-anderson" }, "dateModified" : "2022-02-04T20:38:49.256Z", "datePublished" : "2017-01-03T14:03:00.000Z", "headline" : "Why Change? 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