Our colleague and managing director of CPC Austria, Anne Babilon-Teubenbacher, spoke with "Die Presse" about one of the central questions of modern corporate management:
Do companies need external change consulting—or should they develop change competence themselves?
Anne has a clear stance on this:
Change is not an add-on. It is not a project. Change is a process. Change is everywhere.
She emphasizes that markets change every day. New technologies such as AI are shifting roles, tasks, and expectations. At the same time, legal developments—such as the upcoming wage transparency law—are challenging companies to rethink structures and roles.
Those who want to remain successful in this dynamic environment need change competence as an integral part of their organization—not as an add-on.
Managers as agents of change
Today, leadership means guiding employees through uncertainty, providing orientation, and overcoming resistance. Anne Babilon-Teubenbacher therefore sees change management as a basic skill for every manager:
"Those who have mastered the fundamentals of change management can help others understand and embrace change. This makes the 'valley of tears' less steep."
Resistance often stems from uncertainty. It is therefore crucial to communicate early on, involve employees, and remain approachable as a manager. This creates trust and opens up new perspectives.
A common language for change
Change succeeds when everyone involved speaks the same language. Anne draws a comparison: "
"
Just like in a sailing course, everyone on board must first agree on the same terms and maneuvers—otherwise, chaos ensues. "
"
In companies, this means that a common understanding of change, clear methods, and a uniform language form the foundation for successful transformations.
With this attitude, Anne makes it clear that change is not an exceptional situation—it is the norm. And organizations that understand this are not only more resilient, but also more future-proof.
You can read the full article here.