Leading Change (own illustration, based on Messner, 2017, p. 9, and Kissling-Näf et al., 2024, p. 3). Here is a brief explanation of the terms:

Leading change: coping with both external and internal drivers of change within an organization. The key challenge is to strike the right balance between renewal and optimization, instability and stability, as well as exploration and exploitation.
Modes: inspired by March's Exploration & Exploitation, and the Modes of Development of the St. Gallen Management Model
Optimization: improving the existing
Renewal: creating something new
Timing: is key to keep up with the pace of change (see Kotter, 2014)
Proactive: anticipating changes and taking measures to exploit opportunities and minimize risks
Reactive: responding to change
Adaptation: adapting to changing situations
Transformation: In this context, we understand transformation as that part of organizational change in which the existing system logic (“Why,” “How,” “What”; see The Golden Circle, Simon Sinek) is in general fundamentally changed and replaced by a new one. When transformation takes place in this way, not only are individual elements changed, but the organizational system logic as a whole is questioned and transformed. The “why” focuses on the purpose, i.e. the overarching vision, mission, and raison d'être of the organization. The “How” describes the values, strategy, and core competencies, i.e. the way in which the “Why” is to be achieved. The “What” comprises the products and services, i.e. the concrete outputs or offerings of the organization. Accordingly, the organizational system logic shapes how decisions are made, resources are allocated, relationships are formed, and problems are solved. It is deeply anchored in the identity and (sub-)cultures of an organization and is often stabilized through routines and narratives.