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Why Change Programmes Fail

We often get asked about why change programmes so often fail, with the organisation going back to its pre-change state like the water closing back over a pebble tossed into a pond, the ripples soon dissipating as if nothing had ever happened. We have distilled the reasons for change failure down into 8 major themes.

1. Poor planning. Most change programmes are thought up by managers as something that needs doing or will improve things, launched and then forgotten about.
2. No context given for the change. We are constantly being told change is a permanent, ongoing fact of life, why then are change initiatives viewed as something special, to be survived or endured, rather than laced into the broader strategic context on ongoing change?
3. The change is not embedded in the work flow. People can either ignore the proposed change or run duel processes. For change to stick it has to be mandatory, part of how people work.
4. Under resourced. The programme does not have any meaningful budget.
5. Too unsophisticated.  Not enough analysis, modelling, measuring, objective setting, risk identifying and milestone planning.
6. Not enough time or support given to the change targets (the people who will be affected by the changes). Often this cohort is simply told in a plenary meeting and then expected to buy-in into something the architects have spent weeks or months getting used to. This creates a huge disconnect. A common symptom of this is when, after announcing the proposed change, the manager asks for feedback. Somebody points out an obvious flaw or problem and the manager accuses the person of negativity and tells them to ‘get with the programme’. Huge cynicism then set in.
7. Not enough or the right kind of senior management advocacy and support.
8. Not linked to an effective consequences (positive and negative) framework. Being able to ignore the change mustn’t be an option. Combine with point 3.

These themes look like requiring serious management effort, which they do. However, the ‘secret sauce’ of effective change is not management but leadership. Change needs to be led. No amount of process or detail will make up for an absence of visible, motivating leadership.

If you would like to talk through improving your organisational change capabilities please contact:

Claudine McClean
T: 01789 734333
E: claudinem@predaptive.com

Final note: Any change programme containing the words 'launch' or 'initiative', should be worried about.

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