Change is on the horizon. And I don’t just mean in the weather. Those “green shoots” that have eluded us in recent years are, by all accounts, starting to show.

And, just as businesses have had to adapt to survive one of the most challenging economic downturns in recent history, so they will have to adapt once again to make the most of the upturn that many believe could be just around the corner.

Today’s business leaders have to be incredibly agile; embracing change whilst demonstrating leadership that will bring their teams along with them, maintaining drive, motivation and morale. It’s a balancing act, and not an easy one to achieve.

It was therefore fantastic to see so many examples of successful leadership through change in action this month, when almost 50 business leaders from 18 different countries came together at York St John University. The delegates, representing a cross-section of organisations from small business consultancies to global corporates operating in the public and private sectors, were on site for a week-long residential as part of our MA in leading innovation and change programme.

As well as preparing delegates for the next stage of the programme, the residency provides opportunities for people to share their experiences of change.

The examples were broad-ranging – from merging two production facilities onto a single site; managing the joining of cultures that comes as a result of business acquisition; learning to let go and delegate in order to help your organisation move forward; and achieving a successful transition from board member to chair.

What bound them all together was the recognition of a real need for continual innovation and change – not just to survive, but to thrive.

Here in York, there’s a strong focus on innovation driving change for continual improvement. The Innovate York project and GeniUS ideas sharing forum have already delivered some important outcomes, such as the fall detection device currently under development by City of York Council’s home care services team in partnership with digital technology specialists, which has the potential to help older people live independently in their homes for longer. Collaborations such as these provide opportunities for businesses in the city looking for the next challenge. So how does your business embrace innovation? Are you ready to adapt to the next “new normal”?

Now is the time for businesses to step back and take a critical look at how they can evolve to capitalise on the next inevitable phase of change and ensure they thrive, not simply survive.