No Vision, No Plan, No Raises… No Surprise The Company Failed

It was the third year in my role and we shifted to a new CEO with a new direction where every day felt like walking through a DENSE fog.

This company in hindsight, was missing every single piece of the Lippitt-Knoster Model for successful change:

• ❌ No clear vision – were we building an edtech social platform or scaling our synchronous training programs?

• ❌ No consensus – when asked how to submit or prioritize project proposals, everyone had a different answer (or none at all).

• ❌ Little to no skills alignment – interviews weren’t targeting the abilities needed for success, and ongoing training was nearly nonexistent.

• ❌ Zero incentives – people absorbed the work of laid-off colleagues across six rounds of cuts in two years… without raises.

• ❌ Limited resources – basic tools were outdated or underfunded.

• ❌ No action plan – even the “call to action” was missing. Projects stalled or failed with little reflection or follow-up.

The result? Confusion. Anxiety. Frustration. Resistance. Sabotage. False starts. Just as the Lippitt-Knoster Model predicts.

This wasn’t just theory — it showed up in real, daily damage:

• Talented staff burned out or quietly exited.

• Project timelines ballooned due to lack of clarity.

• Managers scrambled to fill gaps instead of guiding strategy.

• Our team? Left wondering if anything we worked on even mattered.

The Model Speaks: Why Change Fails

According to the Lippitt-Knoster Model, successful change requires six ingredients:

1. Vision

2. Consensus

3. Skills

4. Incentives

5. Resources

6. Action Plan

Missing even one creates failure. Missing all? You’ve got a workplace disaster disguised as a company.

🔁 Let’s Talk Solutions

Here’s how each group below can align with the Lippitt-Knoster model to drive real, sustainable change:

🧭 For Organizational Leaders

(Own the vision, create consensus, provide resources and planning)

• Craft a Clear Vision: Don’t assume your team can “guess” the strategy. Articulate where the company is going and why.

• Build Real Consensus: Don’t dictate—facilitate. Use collaborative planning sessions to align on priorities and timelines.

• Invest in Tools & Training: Equip your team with the resources (software, platforms, templates) and the skills (training, coaching, documentation) they need to succeed.

• Tie Incentives to Outcomes: Recognize the invisible work. Create structures that reward collaboration, leadership, and resilience.

• Establish Action Plans: Clear timelines. Assigned ownership. Follow-ups. If you don’t know what success looks like, neither will your team.

🙋🏽 For Employees

(Uplift skills, speak up, co-create action plans, build consensus)

• Ask for Clarity: If vision is murky, request strategy sessions or planning decks. Push for alignment early.

• Advocate for Development: Be vocal about skills you need (and want) to grow. Suggest learning formats that actually work.

• Speak Up About Burnout: If incentives are missing or workloads are unfair, say so. Respectfully—but clearly.

• Take Initiative: Don’t wait for permission. Lead a lunch-and-learn. Share a workflow. Be part of the solution.

• Follow Through & Document: Once you commit, create your own micro–action plan. Show what good execution looks like.

🧑‍💼 For Prospective Clients & Partners

(Vet organizational health through this model)

• Ask About Vision Alignment: Does this partner know where they’re going — and can they explain how your partnership fits in?

• Look for Skills Depth: Ask who on the team will be hands-on. Are they trained? Have they delivered similar work before?

• Assess Their Infrastructure: Are there systems, tools, and workflows to support the work? Or are you about to enter chaos?

• Ask How Feedback Is Handled: Real-time loops or radio silence? Responsive organizations build consensus and iterate fast.

• Request Action Plans Early: Before the kickoff call, you should already know: what’s happening, when, and who’s leading it.

📣 Call to Action

Have you ever worked at a company where everything (or almost everything) was missing — the vision, the plan, the training, the tools? Did your organization try to implement change without any structure?

Tell your story. Help us call out these patterns and raise the bar for how companies manage change, support talent, and grow with intention.

#learningwithjelly #jellysexperience #whychangefails #corporateleadership #organizationalchange