It’s hard to change a company’s mindset once it’s entrenched. Organizations, like living
organisms, develop their unique DNA over time — a web of beliefs, values, and behaviors.
When challenged, we often push back. That’s probably why 70% of change initiatives don’t
succeed. This is often because employees resist the changes, backed up by a lack of support from
management.
All this means it takes a special kind of leader to challenge the status quo. To get over this
mindset, we first have to explore why change is so hard, followed by taking a look at some
strategies leaders have used to overcome it.
Why Is Change So Hard?
Change disrupts the familiar patterns that people have grown accustomed to, the ones that make
them feel safe and secure. When an “outsider” comes along wanting to shake things up, many
people react with fear and stubbornness. If you’re that outsider taking the reins, you have
to understand why the organization is resisting. It usually comes down to a handful of reasons.
First, organizational culture runs deep. It’s shared beliefs, values, and practices that have often
developed over many years. These norms guide how employees think and act, even when they
don’t realize it. Altering these deep-rooted beliefs and behaviors doesn’t happen overnight.
Not to mention, humans are generally creatures of habit (and of ego). To overcome this, you
need to address fears, train them thoroughly, and communicate why change is good. When it
comes to change, people want to know the basics first. However, many organizations make the
mistake of announcing changes in a surface-level way (“We’re switching to a new invoicing
system and it’s going to be amazing!”) that doesn’t give people the necessary information and can
make them feel more anxious.
We all know good communication is important for making changes, but it can be hard in large
companies with complex structures and hierarchies. Making sure everyone in the company gets
and accepts the change message isn’t always easy. Instead of a surface-level explanation, provide
a clear summary of the change that includes: what it is, why it’s happening, and how it will
improve things in the future.
Ultimately, change starts from the top down. If leaders aren’t committed to the cause or if the
management team is butting heads about what to do, change won’t happen. For example, if the
CEO wants to implement a new sales strategy but the vice presidents are resistant, the rest of the
organization will likely follow suit and resist as well.
Why Should You Change Your Organization’s Mindset?
As a leader, you probably have numerous reasons for wanting change. After all, in a constantly
changing market, your organization must adapt to stay competitive. A shift in mindset can lead to
better decision-making and staying nimble. By encouraging a growth mindset, you encourage
continuous learning and creativity.
For example, if your organization wants to assess your level of innovation, look at projects that
didn’t work out or were deemed unsuitable. This “reverse resume” is a telling sign of the caliber
of ideas you have. And if you haven’t received any feedback from customers in the past year,
your organization likely has blind spots when it comes to delivering what they truly want and
need.
Embracing many small changes within your organization can gain you a competitive edge; these
incremental improvements are much tougher for your competitors to replicate. For instance,
starting up a new communication system that promotes transparency and collaboration is a small
change that can have a ripple effect in other areas.
When your workplace is progressive, your employees are more engaged and committed. As a
leader, you need to constantly evolve your organization’s mindset to attract top talent. For
instance, you might want to shift toward a more inclusive and diverse culture, which doesn’t just
create a diverse workforce but can lead to increased innovation and creativity.
Where Do Leaders Go Wrong?
Failing to engage your employees is the first major pitfall many leaders stumble into. Before you
get started, you need a clear, compelling vision and a method for communicating it effectively to
your team. We know that when people are truly invested in change, that change is 30% more
likely to stick. Without understanding the “why” behind the change, employees may get confused
or drag their feet.
For example, if the marketing team is told to completely change their workflow but they don’t
understand the rationale behind it, they may struggle. The same goes for when your words don’t
match your actions. Never send mixed signals. If you tell your team that you value innovation
and creativity but consistently shoot down their ideas or fail to make any changes, it sends a
conflicting message.
Changing your organization’s mindset should also work with the company’s culture, not against
it. Ignoring cultural differences or forcing changes that go against our beliefs can cause people to
push back. For instance, forcing a strict hierarchical structure in a company that values
collaboration and autonomy can create resistance and hinder progress.
Additionally, we often underestimate the natural human tendency to resist change. This
resistance can stem from fear, misunderstanding, or comfort with the status quo. Changing
mindsets is not a quick fix; it’s a gradual process that requires persistence. Leaders who expect
immediate results and give up too soon will likely fail. Plus, not every strategy works for every organization or situation. Don’t get locked into one approach, even if it seems to be the best
approach at the time.
Successful change requires buy-in from everyone, at all levels. That’s why you need to enlist
your employees from the start. If you don’t actively involve employees in the change process and
ignore their input, you won’t succeed.
Your employees also need tangible support, training, and guidance through a process that can
often be stressful. Remember, your employees haven’t had the same time you have to get used to
new ideas, so try to ease them in gradually and not immediately dismiss their concerns as
“resistance.” Don’t ignore the emotional impacts of change. Your employees’ mental health needs
attention, too.
3 Tools to Help Leaders Successfully Initiate Organizational Change
In an era of relentless change, leaders must be adept at guiding their organizations through
transformation. Here are three essential tools to initiate and drive successful organizational
change, ensuring your team is not just ready but eager to embrace new horizons:
- Book an innovation keynote speaker.
Bringing in a powerful keynote speaker can start your change initiative off on a powerful
note. An inspirational innovation speaker can provide fresh perspectives and share stories of how change has been implemented in other organizations. You might find your employees leave energized and motivated, sparking new ideas and conversations about innovation. An innovation expert can also provide an objective viewpoint and expert guidance that help identify barriers to innovation and develop tailored strategies for your workplace transformation. - Set up training and workshops.
These events should use the power of practice and coaching to focus on problem-solving and
innovation, such as Design Thinking and Agile methodologies. These programs should also
include opportunities for collaboration, encouraging cross-functional teams to come together and share ideas. For example, during a Design Thinking workshop, staff from different departments could work together to identify customer pain points and brainstorm solutions. Ultimately, this breaks down silos and gets everyone thinking more creatively. - Lean into the power of suggestions.
Empowering employees to share ideas boosts innovation. This can be done through an online
platform or suggestion boxes placed strategically around the office. Add incentives or
recognition for even more engagement, like spotlighting the employee with the best suggestion each month or offering a gift card to team members who come up with ideas that add the most value to the company. - Host special events.
Hackathons, innovation challenges, or idea marathons encourage creativity and team-building.
Your team can showcase their innovative ideas and solutions and collaborate with colleagues from different departments. They can step out of their usual roles and solve problems with real-world impact.
As leaders, we can often inherently sense when change is necessary in an organization, but that
doesn’t mean it’s always easy. However, we know we need to adopt change to stay ahead of our
industries, some of which are progressing at a dizzying pace. It all starts with understanding the
reasons behind common pitfalls and understanding the “why” of your desire for change. That, in
turn, can help you navigate the path to real transformation and, ultimately, sustained success.