Does it seem like every article you read tells you that the pace of change is accelerating? And do you feel as though you haven’t even figured out the last change when the next one comes along? Yeah, me too.
Those articles aren’t wrong. In the years between 2019 and 2023, executives reported a 183% increase in the amount of change in their organizations. Our conversations with employees at the organizations we work with suggest that they’re feeling it, too. And while it is possible that not all change is necessary, the unfortunate reality is that for the most part we can’t avoid it. If we can’t avoid it, we’re going to have to get better at it.
You might have heard the well-worn stat that 70% of change initiatives fail, but this data point lacks a lot of evidence and context. (If you’re interested, Mark Hughes of the University of Brighton Business School in the UK published an incredibly well-researched article on the topic.) It turns out that it’s actually quite difficult to measure how many changes succeed or fail and to what degree, because change takes time and value is not typically immediately visible.
But we do know that organizations that use a structured methodology to approach change have better outcomes. A study by Prosci found that 69% of organizations used a structured approach, and of those, 59% achieved good or excellent levels of effectiveness while just 26% of those that did not use a structured approach achieved the same levels of effectiveness.
For the last two years, I’ve been talking with our clients in guidance sessions, onsite working sessions, and conferences. What I hear over and over again is that organizations have a great plan but struggle to get people to engage, to change behavior, and to embrace new processes. Frustration is high, and while a disciplined approach helps, it does not make change a friction-free process. All change involves conflict.
This year, we’re bringing change to the main stage at our B2B Summit North America and CX Summit EMEA events. I will be in Phoenix at the end of this month sharing essential information for change leaders about how to navigate through increasing uncertainty and how to improve your change outcomes. Then, in early June, my amazing and talented colleague Manuel Geitz will be on stage sharing these frameworks in London.
With change happening at warp speed, you’ll gain tools for envisioning, managing, and sustaining the energy needed to keep pace, so join us in Phoenix or London — we’d love to see you there!