Why do change management projects often fail? I attended a seminar led by Diana Hong of Admired Leadership/CRA Inc to to help me answer that question. I took notes for you. Here are the takeaways:
Principle: Don’t overlook human nature and psychology.
- Understand the adoption curve.
- 16% will eagerly adopt change.
- 16% will resist fiercely.
- Focus on the 68% in the middle seeking social proof.
- Map your organization to this curve.
- Connect change to identity Use language like “We’ve done this before” and “You’re skilled at changing.” Reference past successes. People need to see themselves as capable of change.
- Manage expectations ruthlessly Don’t oversell. Be optimistic about outcomes, pragmatic about the journey. Repeat: “We can’t predict everything. We’ll get smarter as we go. This is the right thing to do.”
- Start small, scale fast Begin with early adopters as change champions. Use peer networks to spread adoption. Give managers clear talking points.
- Make it the new normal Success is when change becomes habitual. Don’t declare victory too soon. Aim for small wins that compound over time.
If I had to to boil it down to a simple behavior, it would be for more leaders to say what Diana recommends:
- Here’s the best case scenario;
- Here’s the worst case scenario; and
- Reality will fall somewhere in the middle.
The paradox is as much as managers believe a grand, over optimistic, well-built change management strategy will excite and energize their employee, the opposite is likely true.
Embrace the paradox and manage for the mundane.
Effective change is habit change.
Talent Revolution 