These KPIs help you lead change in a technical services team without triggering panic. They focus on tone and language, pacing, reframing failure, using diagnostics wisely, and celebrating progress so people feel safe to improve.

setting the tone & language of change

Eliminate anxiety-inducing statements about the future (“hard road ahead,” “not sure we can fix this”).
Use confident, forward-looking language in every update (“we’re turning this around,” “new day,” “adventure”).
Show calm and steadiness in your own behavior — no visible panic, sarcasm used only to lighten, not to undermine.
Reinforce that change is shared (“we’re in this together,” “once more into the breach, dear friends”).
Check in with trusted team members about how your tone is landing and adjust accordingly.

using diagnostics to target small visible wins

Translate diagnostic findings into a short list of “easy patches” that can be stitched up quickly.
Deliver a few quick, visible improvements early (even small ones) and let the team see you doing it.
Communicate how each small fix connects back to one of the five KPIs (clients, people, finances, quality, schedule).
Limit early change efforts to a manageable number so the team doesn’t feel overwhelmed.
Track how early wins influence morale, engagement, and openness to further change.

pacing change when urgency is high

Observe your team’s current “pace of change” before accelerating it — note where they are in survival mode.
Introduce only as much change as the team can realistically absorb in a quarter.
Prioritize changes that reduce chaos (clearer processes, communication, expectations) before adding new demands.
Share financial and performance realities in digestible, quantified terms — enough to create urgency, not panic.
Review pacing regularly: are people adapting, or freezing? Adjust step size accordingly.

reframing failure & “failing forward”

Distinguish between harmful failures (missed deadlines, poor quality) and “learning failures” from stretching to higher targets.
Use the “Extracting Little Successes from Big Failures” worksheet selectively to capture learning, then move on.
Ask after each change experiment: “What did we learn that we can reuse, even if we missed the mark?”
Teach the team language for failing forward (“we didn’t hit the goal yet, but we uncovered X and Y”).
Avoid dwelling on root causes in ways that feel like blame; focus on the next experiment and improved approach.

changing what you celebrate vs. punish

Stop using punitive measures (public criticism, privilege removal, reassigning work as punishment) as a main response to mistakes.
Quietly acknowledge missteps; loudly celebrate improvements, effort, and experimentation aligned with the new direction.
Provide additional support and coaching where performance lags instead of immediate sanctions.
Highlight stories of “fail forward” where initial misses led to better processes or results.
Make celebration of progress a routine: small shout-outs in meetings, emails, dashboards, or Twennie posts.

monitoring the human impact of change

Watch for “out of character” behavior and recognize it as a sign of stress, not moral failure.
Build in short feedback loops (quick surveys, check-ins, anonymous comments) during major changes.
Adjust communication and pacing when you see signs of burnout, defensiveness, or withdrawal.
Connect change efforts back to improved conditions for the team (less chaos, clearer expectations, fewer emergencies).
Regularly revisit and restate the shared vision: why these changes matter and how they benefit clients and staff.

Choose a KPI from each category to lead change in a way that feels steady, purposeful, and human — so your team can move out of survival mode and into genuine improvement.

Leading Change

Define the Why, the Win, and the Way

Equip Credible Champions