Since 70% of transformational initiatives fail (I explore why in this post), how can you gauge if yours is capable of beating the odds?
In my experience of 20+ years of creating transformation across six continents, successful transformation programs tend to possess several common characteristics: they are invisible, compelling, thorough, well-paced, precise, and regenerative. Let’s examine these one by one. Then, I encourage you to use them as the criteria all your initiatives must meet before you give them everything you’ve got! This will help you achieve the impact you target without burning through people, goodwill, and money.
Image credit: needvid from Pixabay
1. Effective transformation strategies are INVISIBLE
They avoid disruption, often eliminating activities traditionally associated with overt change management. They intervene at the highest possible leverage points, enable effective change leadership, make the desired behavior intuitive, seamlessly mitigate risk, and result in transitions that are organic rather than chaotic.
2. Effective transformation strategies are COMPELLING
They imbue people with a sense of ownership of the outcome and mobilize them to act towards it in a decentralized fashion. They do so by casting a wide net rather than blame and by tapping into a deep desire to meaningfully contribute rather than into a sense of guilt, obligation, or fear. Furthermore, they honor all lived experience and offer multiple points of connection. Most notably, they drive an irresistible central story, told in the vernacular and imagery of each stakeholder group.
3. Effective transformation strategies are THOROUGH
They identify and proactively manage their true — including indirect — impact on the system. They seem immune to surprises. This lies in stark contrast to most transformation initiatives, which implode with seemingly unforeseen (and unbudgeted) issues, witness supporters back-peddle, and land many a champion’s head on the chopping block. That is because effective transformation programs are well planned (utilizing the building blocks of transformation that I am progressively introducing through this Substack), continually scan the entire situation, stay — and keep key stakeholders — a step ahead, and methodically recalibrate the entire system so that the transformation sticks.
4. Effective transformation strategies are WELL-PACED
Rather than feel rushed or, the opposite, lethargic, the best transformation programs move at a pace that is brisk, engaging, and productive. Go too fast and risk a flight, fight, or freeze response where the nuance of your strategy is discarded for the sake of survival. Move too slowly, and other priorities compete for attention, undercutting the importance of the change. Great transformations get the cadence just right. Their narratives keep “the why” front and center. Their programs parse out workloads, direct action, and rely on effective feedback loops to stay nimble without permitting chaos.
5. Effective transformation strategies are PRECISE
There is a flawed impression that supporting change is “soft” work, barely accountable, and difficult to evaluate beyond anecdotal satisfaction surveys. Not so for me. The best transformation programs are built up from evidence, offer blinders-off clarity (and thus control) of the journey, cultivate the exact behaviors that must change, keep time and expenditure focused, and report on impact.
6. Effective transformation strategies are REGENERATIVE
They build on all the strengths and leave the organization, team, or industry better than they found it. The best transformation programs do not result in a culture drift and loss of talent. Rather, they shape a shared story and advance organizational goals within and alongside delivering results, build desired values, retain and develop the “good eggs” amongst people and systems, and leave the legacy of replicable capability for reinvention and transformation.
Reflection
Consider how your transformation program meets these criteria. Let me know in a comment where you think it falls short, and I’ll gladly offer some ideas to make it stronger!
Don’t let unfamiliar terminology or concepts get in your way! Again, ask me in a comment and I’ll clarify directly or by pointing you to an earlier post.
