Communication is Key: A Systematic Literature Review of Transformation Competencies

Transformation competencies are essential for individuals tasked with executing organizational transformations, whom we refer to in this study as transformation managers. The transformation manager plays a crucial role as a mediator to successful organizational transformation. Consequently, it is critical to understand what competencies the transformation manager must possess. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review of transformation competencies by screening an initial sample of 1,932 articles, resulting in a final sample of 11. We examined the characteristics of the final sample and subsequently interpreted the results. Our findings emphasize the novelty of the topic, given the limited extent of prior research in this domain. We further provide a list of competencies necessary for executing transformations where communication and competency in teamwork and collaboration were identified as the most important competencies for the transformation manager. Finally, we conclude with a comprehensive research agenda and provide future research directions.