Measuring Change Management Success

Most changes fail, especially if they are complex. But why? The Lippitt-Knoster model explains exactly why you don’t get what you want. Making changes is notoriously difficult, especially if they are substantial and complex. In response, there are many change management approaches and step-by-step instructions for managing change. But, to manage change, it is essential to first understand it. Once we know the key ingredients of a successful change, we know what it takes to make it. Even more importantly, once we know these ingredients, we also know WHY a change fails, so that we can do something about it. According to the Lippitt-Knoster Model for Managing Complex Change, a complete change effort requires the following six ingredients: 👉 Vision: sets the direction and explains why the change is needed 👉 Consensus: creates alignment and commitment for the change 👉 Skills: outlines the skills and expertise needed to realize the change 👉 Incentives: creates the motivation and drive to make the change 👉 Resources: enables the change with the needed time, money and tools 👉Action Plan: clarifies the roadmap and steps for realizing the change All six are needed. Consensus was added later by Knoster and it’s not so clear if both originators agree. Yet, I find it essential for any change to be successful, so you need all six. If you miss one you don’t get the change you want. ❌ Miss Vision and you get Confusion ❌ Miss Consensus and you get Sabotage ❌ Miss Skills and you get Anxiety ❌ Miss Incentives and you get Resistance ❌ Miss Resources and you get Frustration ❌ Miss Action Plan and you get False Starts So, here is what it takes to make a successful (complex) change: Step 1: Vision. Create and share a clear vision of the change and why it is needed. What will the new situation look like? Step 2: Consensus. Engage people across the organization to gather input and align their viewpoints in line with the vision. Step 3: Skills. Identify which skills are needed, provide the necessary training, upskill or attract people with the right skills. Step 4: Incentives. Understand what motivates people and create the right mechanisms for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Step 5: Resources. Reserve enough time and money for making the change and obtain the necessary tools, technologies and other resources. Step 6: Action Plan. Develop a high-level roadmap and detailed action plan that outlines the priorities, order and steps for making the change. === Want to create true and lasting change? Then the Certified Strategy and Implementation Consultant (CSIC) program may be something for you. For more information and registration for the September 2024 cohort of this exciting program, and booking a call with our enrollment advisor, visit our website strategy.inc. 

70% of change initiatives fail. (And it's rarely because the idea was bad.) Here's what actually kills transformation: You picked the wrong change model for the job. It's like performing surgery with a hammer. Sure, you're using a tool. But it's the wrong one. I've watched brilliant CEOs tank their companies this way: Using individual coaching (ADKAR) for company-wide transformation. Result: 200 people change. 2,000 don't. Running a massive 8-step program for a simple process fix. Result: 6 months wasted. Team exhausted. Nothing changes. Forcing top-down mandates when they needed subtle nudges. Result: Rebellion. Resentment. Resignation letters. Here's what nobody tells you about change: The size of your change determines your approach. Real examples from the field: 💡 Startup pivoting product: → Used Lewin's 3-stage (unfreeze old way, change, refreeze) → 3 months. Clean transition. Team aligned. 💡 Enterprise going digital: → Used Kotter's 8-step process → Created urgency first. Built coalition. Enabled action. → 18 months later: $50M in new revenue. 💡 Sales team adopting new CRM: → Used Nudge Theory → Made old system harder to access → Put new system as browser homepage → 95% adoption in 2 weeks. Zero complaints. The expensive truth: Wrong model = wasted months + burned budgets + broken trust Right model = faster adoption + sustained results + energized teams Warning signs you're using the wrong model: • High activity, low progress • People comply but don't commit • Changes revert within weeks • Energy drops as you push harder • "This too shall pass" becomes the motto Match your medicine to your ailment: Small behavior change? Nudge it. Individual performance? ADKAR it. Cultural shift? Influence it. Full transformation? Kotter it. Enterprise overhaul? BCG it. Stop treating every change like a nail. Start choosing the right tool for the job. Your next change initiative depends on it. Your team's trust demands it. Your company's future requires it. Save this. Share it with your leadership team. Because the next time someone says "people resist change," you'll know the truth: People don't resist change. They resist the wrong approach to change. P.S. Want a PDF of my Change Management cheat sheet? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dv7biXUs ♻️ Repost to help a leader in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more operational insights. — 📢 Want to lead like a world-class CEO? Join my FREE TRAINING: "The 8 Qualities That Separate World-Class CEOs From Everyone Else" Thu Jul 3rd, 12 noon Eastern / 5pm UK time https://lnkd.in/dy-6w_rx 📌 The CEO Accelerator starts July 23rd. 20+ Founders & CEOs have already enrolled. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/dwndXMAk

Resistance isn’t the enemy of change. Poor planning is. Change doesn’t fail because people are difficult. It fails because leaders rush in without structure. That’s why the ADKAR model works - it gives you a step-by-step way to make change stick. Step 1: Awareness Start by making the case for change. – Share the “why” with clarity – Use data and relatable stories – Highlight what’s at risk if nothing changes Step 2: Desire Create personal buy-in. – Speak directly to individual concerns – Tie the change to personal wins – Invite feedback, don’t just announce Step 3: Knowledge Make learning simple and accessible. – Train based on roles, not just theory – Break content into smaller lessons – Encourage peer learning Step 4: Ability Create space for hands-on experience. – Pilot with smaller teams – Offer coaching and feedback – Let teams experiment and iterate Step 5: Reinforcement Make sure the change sticks. – Track adoption with real metrics – Celebrate visible progress – Keep communication going Change isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about planning smarter. Now the question is: Where are you seeing resistance today? -- 📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet: 1. Follow Daniel Lock 2. Like the post 3. Repost to your network 4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eB3C76jb

Transformation isn’t magic. It’s design. And like any great design, it stands on a solid foundation. One of the frameworks I use when guiding organizations through change is what I call the 4S Framework of Transformation: 🔹 Support People don’t resist change—they resist doing it alone. Leaders need visible, ongoing support mechanisms to guide people emotionally and practically through uncertainty. 🔹 Skills You can’t expect new outcomes with old capabilities. Upskilling, reskilling, and even unlearning are essential for people to thrive in new environments. 🔹 Structure Transformation collapses when roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines are unclear. Clarity breeds confidence. You can’t be agile in chaos. 🔹 Systems What gets rewarded, gets repeated. Systems (tech, processes, metrics) must reinforce the behavior you want to see. Otherwise, culture change won’t stick. These 4 pillars help organizations move beyond surface-level initiatives and into deep, sustained transformation. Because change isn’t just about strategy. It’s about giving your people the foundation to actually live it. Which of these 4S do you see most often overlooked in your organization’s change journey? Let’s compare notes. #ChangeManagement #OrganizationalTransformation #Leadership #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceCulture #TheFutureFitOrganization  #TransformationFramework #HRStrategy #PeopleFirst #BusinessChange

In a world where stability feels comforting, your capacity to navigate uncertainty determines what's truly possible. According to McKinsey & Company's 2025 Adaptability Index, organizations with high change readiness outperform competitors by 52% in market share growth and demonstrate 47% faster recovery from market disruptions. Here are three ways to transform change resistance into strategic advantage: 👉 Create "future-back thinking" rituals. Regularly practicing visualization of desired future states before mapping backward reduces change anxiety by 64%. Design structured processes that normalize positive future imagination as a core organizational competency. 👉 Implement "change partnership" protocols. Pair stability-oriented team members with naturally adaptive colleagues to create balanced change navigation teams. These partnerships demonstrate 3.4x greater implementation success than traditional top-down change management. 👉 Practice "possibility mapping". Replace threat-response with opportunity identification when disruption emerges. Build adaptive capacity by immediately documenting three potential advantages for every perceived challenge in the change landscape. This works and neuroscience confirms it: constructive change engagement activates your brain's reward pathways rather than threat responses, enhancing creativity, reducing cortisol, and enabling higher-order problem-solving. Your organization's resilience isn't built on rigid planning—it emerges from a culture where change becomes the most reliable competitive advantage. Coaching can help; let's chat. Follow Joshua Miller #executivecoaching #change #mindset

Organizational change largely requires PEOPLE to change therefore it is inherently personal. This is why we need organizational leaders who DEEPLY understand people and their thoughts and feelings about change. Leaders who genuinely engage with and DEEPLY understand people are better able to address the challenges faced in organizational change efforts. They are better able to address those concerns effectively whether that is providing additional information, offering reassurance, or involving people in the change process to reduce anxiety. AND leaders who demonstrate that they understand and care about their employees’ perspectives and well-being are better able to build trust and make people more willing to follow their lead. So how do leaders avoid superficial approaches and develop this ability to DEEPLY understand people? Well, it takes effort in a few different ways: 1️⃣ Listen Actively Make a conscious effort to listen to your employees’ concerns, ideas, and feedback. Hold regular one-on-one meetings, town halls, and feedback sessions. 2️⃣ Develop Emotional Intelligence Recognize and validate your own emotions as well as the emotions of others in relation to change. 3️⃣ Communicate Openly and Frequently Establish and maintain open lines of communication through various channels like email, intranets, social platforms, and face-to-face interactions. 4️⃣ Gather Real Data Regularly conduct surveys, polls, and suggestion boxes to gather honest feedback and gauge employee sentiment about changes. 5️⃣ Co-create Solutions To Problems At team level, organize focus groups and workshops to discuss upcoming changes, gather insights, and co-create solutions with employees. At individual level, provide regular supportive developmental coaching. 6️⃣ Observe to Understand Spend time observing and shadowing people in their daily tasks to gain a first-hand understanding of their work environment and challenges. Think Gemba Walks, not Micromanagement. 7️⃣ Develop People Create personalized development plans that align with both the organization’s goals and individual needs. Regularly review and update these plans in 1:1 coaching check-ins. And in terms of what NOT to do (Because that's just as important). ❌ Do not ignore feedback. ❌ Do not communicate inconsistently ❌ Do not overlook individual concerns What tips would you add here to help leaders to DEEPLY understand people? Leave your comments below 🙏 #changeleadership #changemanagement #leadership #leadershipskills #lean #improvement

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩, 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳." It’s an unspoken agreement in workplaces everywhere. Are you unknowingly igniting resistance instead of sparking change? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱
 At City Hospital (a pseudonym used to protect confidentiality), the CEO, “Juliette Garnier” (also a pseudonym), believed decisive action would save the day. Faced with a funding crisis, she enforced a 10% budget cut across departments. Her intent? Keep the hospital afloat. The result? Chaos. Her leadership team froze in silence, employees raged in the corridors, and nurses threatened a strike over unsafe working conditions. Garnier had unknowingly stepped into what I call The 𝙋𝙪𝙨𝙝 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣: * 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 = 𝗘𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 * 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 = 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 The harder you push, the harder people push back. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
 Resistance isn’t about rejecting change. It’s about rejecting the way change is imposed. When people feel ignored, undervalued, or strong-armed, their silence or anger signals mistrust and resentment. The more forceful the push, the stronger the resistance grows. 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻
 Garnier recognised the pattern and shifted her approach. Instead of enforcing change, she invited her team to co-create solutions. Within weeks, the same employees who had resisted her became her strongest allies, crafting a plan that cut costs without compromising care. The strike was called off, and trust was restored. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 
Leaders who force change light fires that burn bridges. Those who nudge—inviting collaboration and listening deeply—build lasting trust and sustainable results. Are you lighting fires or building bridges? Would love to hear your views: What strategies have worked for you to overcome resistance and inspire collaboration? 📚 For a systemic lens to creating lasting change, explore the ideas in my book, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠.

Leading change isn't just about having a compelling vision or a well-crafted strategy. Through my years as a transformation leader, I've discovered that the most challenging aspect lies in understanding and addressing the human elements that often go unnoticed. The fundamental mistake many leaders make is assuming people resist change itself. People don't resist change - they resist loss. Research shows that the pain of losing something is twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining something new. This insight completely transforms how we should approach change management. When implementing change, we must recognize five core types of loss that drive resistance. * First, there's the loss of safety and security - our basic need for predictability and stability. * Second, we face the potential loss of freedom and autonomy - our ability to control our circumstances.  * Third, there's the fear of losing status and recognition - particularly relevant in organizational hierarchies.  * Fourth, we confront the possible loss of belonging and connection - our vital social bonds. * Finally, there's the concern about fairness and justice - our fundamental need for equitable treatment. What makes these losses particularly challenging is their connection to identity.  When change threatens these aspects of our work life, it doesn't just challenge our routines and who we think we are. This is why seemingly simple changes can trigger such profound resistance. As leaders, our role must evolve. We need to be both champions of change and anchors of stability.  Research shows that people are four times more likely to accept change when they clearly understand what will remain constant. This insight should fundamentally shift our approach to change communication. The path forward requires a more nuanced approach. We must acknowledge losses openly, create space for processing transition and highlight what remains stable. Most importantly, we need to help our teams maintain their sense of identity while embracing new possibilities. In my experience, the most successful transformations occur when leaders understand these hidden dynamics. We must also honour the present and past. This means creating an environment where both loss and possibility can coexist. The key is to approach resistance with curiosity rather than frustration. When we encounter pushback, it's often signaling important concerns that need addressing. By listening to this wisdom and addressing the underlying losses, we can build stronger foundations for change. These insights become even more crucial as we navigate an increasingly dynamic business environment. The future belongs to leaders who can balance the drive for transformation with the human need for stability and meaning. True transformation isn't just about changing what we do - it's about evolving who we are while honouring who we've been. #leadership #leadwithrajeev

Sustainability Transformation 🌍 Sustainability has become a core business priority across industries. Despite growing commitments, many companies still struggle to move from ambition to effective implementation. Advancing sustainability requires clarity on where to focus, operational structures that enable delivery, and a financial model that supports long-term investment. Each of these elements demands strategic alignment and organizational readiness. The first lever is prioritization. Sustainability covers a broad range of topics, and companies often attempt to address too many areas at once. A focused approach begins with identifying the issues most relevant to the business and where the company’s activities have the greatest environmental or social impact. This prioritization should be grounded in long-term value creation, operational risk, and regulatory exposure, not limited to reputational concerns. Execution is the second lever. Goals set at the corporate level often fail to reach the operational core of the business. A transformation engine is needed—one that establishes clear accountability, embeds sustainability into planning processes, and links incentives to performance. Functional areas such as operations, procurement, finance, and product development must collaborate around shared targets and delivery plans. Governance plays a critical role in driving this coordination. Companies progressing in their sustainability transformation typically establish cross-functional teams supported by executive oversight. These structures enable alignment, remove barriers, and ensure that ESG considerations are reflected in key business decisions. Without this integration, initiatives remain isolated and lack strategic relevance. The third lever is investment. Sustainability projects frequently require capital beyond the scope of typical budgets. Leading companies treat these as core investments, supported by business cases that reflect cost savings, resilience, and regulatory preparedness. People are essential to operationalizing the strategy. Leadership defines direction, but delivery depends on equipping employees with the tools, knowledge, and support to integrate sustainability into their roles. Ongoing training, internal engagement programs, and the identification of internal advocates all help sustain progress and build internal ownership. Digital systems and quality data are critical enablers. Measurement tools must go beyond compliance to support decision-making, resource optimization, and supplier engagement. Sustainability transformation is a structural shift. It requires embedding environmental and social considerations into how decisions are made, how value is defined, and how performance is measured. Source: BCG #sustainability #sustainable #esg #business

❓ The technology may be able to help you transform, but how do you assess if the company has the internal capability to support the transformation?   Question received during the webinar "Experience GROW with SAP" (recording 👉 https://lnkd.in/gv-KWHKy) The successful implementation of transformation requires an understanding of an organization’s readiness to change. Identifying and evaluating the factors that affect an organization’s ability to adapt to new processes, technology & workflows. ☝ If you are asking this question - you are already on a right track. Majority of change initiatives fail, because we fail to do a first step - assess, if the ambition and organizations CAPABILITY and CAPACITY to support the transformation is there. ** Capability can be built, borrowed or bought. But more important, has organization capacity to do this on top of business as usual? ** Capacity means all leaders, employees and stakeholders are giving priority, focus and attention to transformation. Coming back to the initial question about assessing capabilities and readiness for change 👇 I, personally, like the ** Business Transformation Management Methodology ** (BTM2), which offers a comprehensive framework to address various facets of business transformation, including assessing a company's internal capability to support transformation efforts. According to BTM2, evaluating a company's readiness and capability for transformation involves multiple dimensions, such as organizational structure, culture, employee skills, technological infrastructure, and existing processes. More about this methodology by Rob Llewellyn here >> https://lnkd.in/gKEzbPyp Top 7 capabilities: 1️⃣ Strategic Visioning and Alignment: Are you able to define a clear and simple "Case for change"? The "Why". Defining a compelling transformation vision aligned with business strategy and ensuring stakeholder commitment is essencial. If people don't understand the why - stop here. 2️⃣ Leadership and Governance: Does everyone understand that to run the Transformation you need a proper governance structures, strong leadership who can inspire teams through change. 3️⃣ Change Management: Managing organizational change effectively, addressing resistance, and fostering adaptability needs focus. Are you ready? 4️⃣ Risk Management: How good is organization to understanding and managing risks? 5️⃣ Process Management: You will need End-to-End process definition and management. Do you run your business in functions or you talk processes? 6️⃣ Technology Management: How strong is your Technology team? You need a leader who can build bridge between Business & Technology. 7️⃣ Talent and Competency: Ensure your core team has experience to handle changes. Best is to hire someone who already went the same way at least once. Don't try to learn from your mistakes. How would you assess readiness? #sappartner #BTM2 #transformation