Last week, I sat down with a major player in Canada’s ‘National Brand’ landscape. This organization is embarking on a transformational journey to improve bottom-line performance, innovate to meet customer needs better, and strategically find new ways to drive revenue growth.
My client was charged with building out a transformation change plan for her organization in collaboration with the Executive team and the Transformation Office. She sought my counsel to gain clarity on the best approach forward.
Client: Karen, what are the failure traps that organizations need to think about?
Karen: One major trap is underestimating the human element of change. Leaders often focus too heavily on processes, systems, or technology and neglect the emotional impact of change on people. Another common failure is poor communication—if employees don’t understand why change is happening, how it benefits them, what is not changing, and have their concerns addressed – then they are more likely to resist. Lastly, organizations sometimes fail by not building ‘change leadership’ capabilities early on, leaving leaders and managers unprepared to navigate the change process effectively.
Client: How do I get started on organizational change? What is the first thing I need to do?
Karen: The first step is to define a clear vision and purpose for the change. Understanding why this transformation is necessary and knowing what success looks like is key. Then, focus on building alignment among leadership—if leaders aren’t on the same page, confusion trickles down to teams. Lastly, start with a stakeholder analysis to identify who will be impacted, their potential reactions, and how best to engage them.
Client: How do you balance theory and practice? It seems that much of Change Management is theory driven.
Karen: It’s true that a lot of the foundational work in change management comes from theory, but theory alone won’t get you far. No one size ever fits all. The key is to translate theory into practical, actionable steps. For example, while models like Kotter’s or ADKAR are great frameworks, they need to be customized to fit an organization’s specific context. I also rely on real-world experience to adapt these models in ways that make sense for the people and culture of an organization. We have created a ‘Blueprint for Change’ model that is adapted from several of these most known change theories but we made it simple and practical for managers and leaders to apply.
Client: I keep hearing about the 70% failure rate in change. Why isn’t Change Management reducing this failure rate?
Karen: The 70% failure rate persists because many organizations still see change management as an afterthought rather than a critical part of the process. Change management must be integrated into the strategy from the start, not bolted on halfway through. Additionally, lack of leadership commitment and inadequate resources for supporting change often contribute to failures. When change efforts are treated as isolated projects rather than a continuous process, it limits long-term success. That’s why we like to use the term Change Enablement vs Management. We are enabling the organization and its leaders & employees to adapt and adopt to change.
Client: What causes resistance to change?
Karen: Resistance to change usually stems from fear of the unknown, loss of control, or simply not understanding the purpose (why) of the change. People need time to process change and often resist if they feel it threatens their job security, autonomy, or the way they work.
Another factor is ‘change fatigue’—when people are bombarded with too many changes without seeing the benefits, they may become disengaged. Building trust and providing clear, consistent communication are key to reducing resistance.
Client: How can we go faster on change in organizations?
Karen: To move faster, organizations need to embed change into their culture. This means developing a culture where people are comfortable with change and know how to navigate it. It also requires agile leadership—leaders who can make quick, informed decisions and empower their teams to act. Finally, prioritize the changes that will have the biggest impact and focus on speed-to-value, ensuring teams see quick wins to maintain momentum.
Client: Who should Change Management report to?
Karen: Ideally, Change Management should report to someone at the Executive level who has visibility across the organization, such as the Chief Transformation Officer or Chief Operating Officer. This ensures alignment with the overall business strategy, and to prevent change management from being siloed. If change is being driven by a specific department, it might make sense for change management to be part of that team, but ultimately, it should have a direct line to senior leadership.
Client: What are the different models that organizations can choose based on their size and needs?
Karen: Smaller organizations may benefit from a more informal, flexible change model where leaders are directly involved in day-to-day change activities. In larger organizations, a more structured approach like Kotter’s 8-Step Model or Prosci’s ADKAR can provide the framework needed to manage complexity. For fast-growing or agile organizations, iterative models like Lean Change Management or Agile Change frameworks might work best because they allow for faster, more adaptive cycles of change.
Client: What is the most critical question that every leader today should be asking in preparation for the acceleration of change?
Karen: The most critical question is: “How can we ensure our people are not only prepared for change but actively driving and embracing it?” Leaders and employees want to co-pilot your change management efforts, not take a backseat or be told they need to change. Involving employee’s early in the change efforts increases an organization’s chances for change success.
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