When traditional change management doesn’t work

There’s little value in building a cruise ship if no crew is willing or able to operate it.

As a former change management consultant, I have witnessed how organisations struggle to gain buy-in from their people when introducing large scale change initiatives; target operating model (TOM) implementations, mergers, IT and finance transformations, culture change, reward programmes, and so on. My role was to build systems, processes, and capabilities that mobilise people, maintain a healthy culture, and maximise the proficient use of products, services, and technologies. There is no ROI if people don't use it well, or at all.

Limitations of Traditional Change Management

Traditional change management often focuses on creating systems and structures with the intent of smoothing transitions and reducing resistance. While these goals are noble, over time they tend to fall short as organisations become more complex. Processes initially designed to enable and facilitate, eventually constrain and frustrate the very business they are meant to support. Missed project objectives, delayed deadlines, costs overruns, and disgruntled employees, all become inevitable byproducts of a more complex organisation.

A fresher approach

To overcome these limitations, organisations need a shift in mindset - one that blends robust change processes with core leadership competencies (the soon-to-be published scorecard). It is worth remembering that leadership is about reinvention and challenging the way things are done, whereas management is about control and repeatability.

While every organisation is different, striking a more effective balance is possible. To build a more adaptable, change-ready, organisation, the goal is to develop core leadership skills to complement already sound change management processes. This approach reduces dependency on the change function, decreases complexity, and creates autonomy and adaptability.

Imagine establishing a widely recognised, value-adding, and trusted change management function that goes beyond transactional processes to provide strategic advice, business competencies, and tactical improvements.

If your organisation is ready to embrace this shift, I’d love to help. Starting March 2025, I’ll be running leadership workshops tailored to project and leadership teams navigating change. These workshops are designed to equip leaders and teams with the skills to build self-sustaining change capability, while maintaining cultural and operational alignment.

Drop me a note to discuss how we can bring this fresh approach to your team.

It was great to be back in the Emirates, facilitating insightful and intimate conversations in the hyper-modern Dubai.

#Leadershipdevelopment #ChangeManagement #AgileLeadership