How many times have you led, been involved in (or subjected to!) a big change programme? And how many times have these time-consuming and emotionally draining exercises been classed as successful?
Here are seven common reasons change initiatives fail and what you can do differently.
Traditional change programmes are often designed by senior leaders and then “cascaded” through the organisation.
The problem? People often feel like change is being done to them rather than with them.
Successful transformations look different. Change is championed from the top, but it’s driven through empowerment.
Move away from simply communicating decisions and instead involve people in shaping them.
Ask questions such as:
When people help design the change, they are far more likely to support it.
Many organisations attempt large transformation programmes that take months or years to implement. These initiatives often feel overwhelming and can quickly lose momentum.
Shrink the change. Break big ambitions into smaller experiments that can be tested quickly.
For instance, if you want to give your team members greater responsibility for making decisions when dealing with a customer, you can break it down into several steps, such as:
Keep doing this until you have them off their water wings and swimming independently.
At Electronic Arts, teams working on complex long-term projects were often inefficient. When projects were broken down into smaller problems that could be tackled within one or two weeks, developers became far more creative and effective.
Many change programmes begin with long explanations of what’s broken. But focusing purely on problems can drain energy and motivation.
Recent behavioural research has shown that when groups focus on solving problems, they become depressed, but when they formulate plans by working backwards from what they want to create, they develop energy, enthusiasm, optimism and high commitment.
Frame change around the future you want to create. Communicate change through purpose, vision and possibility rather than simply correcting failures.
For example, when the pharmaceutical company Dr. Reddy’s wanted to transform its culture, leaders simplified their purpose to four words: “Good health can’t wait.”
Rather than just communicating the message, leaders used it to guide everyday decisions and demonstrate the change in action.
Facts and presentations alone rarely inspire people to change behaviour. People are far more likely to engage with change when they understand why it matters.
Use a combination of storytelling and powerful data. A compelling change story helps people understand:
You can also use “shock and awe” data — a small number of powerful facts that capture attention.
For example, when Deloitte reviewed their performance management process, they discovered it consumed close to two million hours a year. That insight helped spark a major rethink.
Formal leaders are not always the most influential people in an organisation.
Often, the individuals who shape opinions and behaviour are those without formal authority. These are the people whom others go to for advice, who are well-connected at work or who are naturally gifted with the power of persuasion.
Identify and involve these informal influencers early in the change process.
At Slack, for example, leaders use champion networks made up of influential employees who help design and introduce new ways of working. These champions help spread new ideas through their teams and build confidence in the change.
One common mistake is assuming the whole organisation will embrace change together. In reality, people adopt new ideas at different speeds.
Start with your early adopters — those who are curious, adventurous and willing to try new approaches.
Support them, showcase their results and let others see what’s possible. Momentum spreads far more effectively through visible success than persuasion.
Change programmes often communicate the same message to everyone in exactly the same way. A single presentation, email or announcement is expected to convince the whole organisation.
But different groups experience changes in different ways.
What matters to a senior leader may be very different from what matters to a frontline employee or team manager.
When the message doesn’t feel relevant to someone’s role, concerns or motivations, they quickly disengage.
Tailor the message for the people you are trying to influence.
Start by thinking about the individuals or groups who may be hardest to convince. Ask yourself:
Then shape the conversation around what is most relevant for them.
