Why do business transformations fail? It could be that in an attempt to convey urgency and inevitability, leaders take on too much by trying to implement change and influence everyone all at once. While people are passionate about their own ideas, they tend to resist other people’s initiatives. This is particularly true when they feel like these ideas are being forced on them.

What often happens with strategic change is typically a huge ‘kick-off campaign’. Unfortunately, these can often create levels of resistance rather than its desired effect of inspiring and winning over the majority. So if targeting everyone en masse doesn’t work, how many people does it take to implement an organisational change?

Casting The Change Net Too Wide

Typically, when a new initiative is launched managers usually want to aim big. Seeking to gain approval for significant budgets in order to hire high profile staff and arrange huge kick-off events. This causes a cascade of situations in which staff are expected to adapt fast, scale up and achieve quick wins. However this sense of urgency is often heavy handed.

With this in mind, research by PwC states that 44% of employees didn’t understand the adjustments they were being asked to make, leading to 65% stating they had change fatigue.

Here’s the interesting idea… Implementing change within your organisation doesn’t actually require you to engage the majority. Having a small number of people that believe in and will advocate for the transformation is plenty. Studies by Everett Rogers in the book Diffusion Of Innovation, show that it takes as little as 10-20% of a system to adopt new strategies for rapid acceptance by the majority.

This would suggest that it is more effective not to try and convince sceptics and hard line refusers from the outset. A better strategy is to bypass this group and instead, find teammates who are enthusiastic and advocate for the transformation.

Start Small, Aim Big

Research by Professor Chenoweth (4.29) shows that it only takes 3.5% of a society actively participating to instigate a transformation when it came to political revolutions. In the context of an organisation, that initial small group will expand outwards with momentum. Starting with a small group of highly interested individuals means that everything is controlled, ensuring that the transition runs smoothly.

Leverage Early Enthusiasts To Implement Change

There is a misconception that implementing change is all about persuasion, leading to a focus on selling the ‘concept’. However, the very idea that you need to persuade people to your way of thinking suggests that you may be starting with the wrong people.

It’s much more effective to identify and leverage early enthusiasts to work on fundamental modifications with a tangible and collective goal. This will allow leaders to move away from selling the idea to sceptics. When employees see something working effectively, they buy into the idea and actually want to be involved. This is how you grow your initiative out of the 10-20% window towards widespread transformation.

Build On Your Success

Often, business modifications are transmitted socially through networks and the process is therefore non-linear. This is why it’s vital to start small and ensure that the new strategies being implemented are right for the business. Protecting the idea in its infancy, while it’s unproven, is required. If it isn’t sufficiently nurtured, the process will fail and the initial idea will be trashed in the process. Failure at this stage can result in the idea being discredited. This can proliferate, causing more people to not believe in it. The knock-on effect of this is less people in the future advocating for transformation when it’s needed.

Alchemist Change Management Programmes

While transformations may bring challenges, Alchemist offers blended Change Management learning programmes that can assist in implementing change to support transformation and ultimately achieve success.

To kickstart the journey, participants engage in an initial briefing and orientation call, setting the stage for what lies ahead. The programme then unfolds through a series of five interconnected workshops, each focusing on a different dimension of transformation experienced by leaders and teams. The objective is to equip them with a diverse array of tools and techniques that will empower their team members in navigating both present and future adjustments.

These workshops provide a collaborative platform for participants to openly discuss the challenges they face. Through interactive sessions, they learn valuable techniques, explore practical tools, and collectively develop innovative solutions. The ultimate aim is to devise a concrete plan of action that propels them forward. As a result of this comprehensive programme, learners emerge feeling more self-assured and purposeful in their ability to lead within their specific sphere of the business.

The blended approach taken by Alchemist ensures that participants receive a well-rounded learning experience. By combining various modes of delivery, such as virtual workshops and personalised coaching, individuals are able to engage with the content on multiple levels, deepening their understanding and retention of the material. This holistic approach fosters a more meaningful and transformative learning journey.

We recognise that change management is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each organisation possesses its unique dynamics and challenges. Therefore, the programme is designed to be adaptable and customisable, allowing the learning experience to be tailored to specific needs and organisational context.