Change efforts fail more often than they succeed. Not sometimes. Not under extreme conditions. Not without warnings or clarifications. They fail routinely and frequently. Businesses continue to invest trillions of dollars in change initiatives, yet the results remain largely unchanged. Change efforts fail not only because of inefficiency. They are a waste of human potential and leave tissue scar tissue that reduces both appetite and future adaptability.
However, transformation doesn't have to be a gamble. in How change actually works (Harvard Business Review Press), authors Julia Dahl, Christy R. Elmer, and Philip Jameson reveal how leaders can greatly increase their chances of sustainable success by mastering the five stages of change.
Successful change requires active oversight by the board on behalf of shareholders. Directors need to pressure test their strategic ambitions for transformation, ensure capital allocation is aligned with investor expectations, ensure the right management team has the right incentives, test program best practices, and ensure they are equally focused on changing the culture to enable results.
How to get started and how the board can help you
The journey of change begins with management decide that change is necessary. Leaders discuss why change is needed, what needs to change, and how it will happen. The board plays a critical role in ensuring that management reaches true agreement on the why, what, and how of the program. This phase can take 1-6 months and represents 20-30% of an executive's time.
Once agreement is reached, executives plan for change step. This is where you establish your transformation office, define your approach, and appoint a leader. Important preparations such as events, training, and ceremonies are planned. By the end of this phase, executives have a detailed plan for launch and execution. This phase lasts one to two months and consumes 20 to 50 percent of executives' time. The board's role must test that best practices are incorporated.
of The beginning of change step Initiate the transformation broadly, with senior leaders leading their teams in preparing a bottom-up plan. Now is the time to prioritize and finalize a complete transformation plan. Once the implementation of the transformation plan begins, some teams achieve early wins to build momentum. Starting the transformation phase can take 4 to 6 months and requires 50 to 70 percent of the executive's time. Boards should review this detailed plan to ensure alignment with transformation objectives, risks, and required new investments.
maintain momentum
The team then enters the next item. continue to endure change step. During this period, management, with the support of the board of directors, must proactively measure and respond to employee emotions, maintain established rituals, and maintain focus under pressure. Change leaders address these contextual challenges through existing change processes. Finally, leaders must update the pipeline of initiatives and projects. This phase can last from six months to two years and takes up 30-40% of an executive's time.
Finally, management and the board agree to terminate the program and ending change step. At this point, management must determine the nature of future changes and decide how to formally end the transformation. Celebrations that honor and thank employees are very important. This is also a period to strengthen your organizational knowledge and allow time for organizational and personal reflection. Changes typically take one to two months to complete and take up 20 to 30 percent of management's time. Boards should ensure that officers carry out closing activities.
Successful change does not mean forcing change from above. Instead, it's about creating an environment where design, incentives, and thoughtful nudges naturally encourage desired behaviors. By taking a structured, human-centered approach, How change actually worksleaders can lead their organizations to lasting impact. Transformation can be highly successful when the board is deeply involved and guides the management team in best practices throughout the process.
