Change is hard, we all know it. We say we want it, we know it's good for us but deep down it's more comfortable to stay where we are.
Every year, organisations launch new strategies, platforms, and programmes, full of promise and good intentions. However, according to McKinsey, around 70% of these change initiatives fail to meet their goals.
That's a big number! In my experience, that isn't usually down to poor planning, bad tools, or weak strategy, it's because we underestimate the human side of change.
Change management is people management
I enjoy my career working to implement new technology. But if it fails, it's never because the tool itself doesn't work, it's because people don't understand the need for change and what the tool is there to do. This leads to people not using it as intended, or even not using it at all.
If you want change to stick, you need to focus on:
- Clarity of purpose - Everyone needs to understand why we're changing, not just what we're changing
- Visible leadership - People follow people, not plans
- Ongoing communication - Not a launch email, but a dialogue; bring people with you on the journey
- Support and feedback - Creating a pathway for communication, learning, questions, and improvement.
It's a simple truth: change is emotional before it's operational.
Start with the 'why'
When we work with clients introducing Verto, the first thing I ask is: Why are you making the change?
If the answer is "because leadership told us to," it's a red flag.
If it's "because we want to reduce duplication, increase visibility, and make collaboration easier" - now we're talking.
You can't impose belief, you build it by connecting the change to what matters most for your people, their pain points, their workload, their pride in doing good work. Explain how it's going to make their lives easier and you'll show an understanding of their situation and foster an openness about the change to come.
The foundation for everything else
When you get the basics right, clear vision, engaged leaders, two-way communication, and meaningful benefits, everything else becomes easier. That's the foundation for every transformation, whether you're embedding a new workflow platform or driving cultural change.
In the next post, I'll explore how to take a launch and turn it into lasting adoption, because successful change isn't about go-live, it's about what comes after!
