Why is change adoption not working?

Have you been implementing operational or strategic changes in your organization and the team doesn’t seem to be adopting them? You’re not alone. 

Companies that are thriving at the pace of business today are constantly adapting. This means team members are needing to adopt changes regularly. However, managing organizational change is challenging.  

In this blog, we’ll reveal the top three change management follies we see companies make and how to avoid them.  

Reasons Organizational Change Is Not “Sticking” 

There are various reasons that change adoption may not be working within your organization. These are some of the most common reasons we see: 

Lack of Executive Buy-In 

There is an incredibly high correlation between executive sponsorship and change success within organizations, as evidenced through the extensive research done by Prosci. We’ve also found this to be true. Internal projects or changes that do not have an executive sponsor lack clarity and momentum. 

Have you ever worked in an organization that is “do as I say, not as I do?” This is a huge change management red flag. Executive buy-in is so important. Team members will not do through a change curve unless they see that this is being practiced from the top.  

The fix?  

Before initiating internal projects and change, appoint an executive sponsor and map out their responsibilities. They should not only be a sponsor in title, but also a true advocate for the work being done.  

For example, if there is an internal initiative to adopt a new software for project management, having an executive sponsor who supports the communication of this change, reminds team members of the “why” of it’s importance, and also demonstrates how they are adopting the change themselves can be the main driver of the difference between poor user adoption and successful rollouts.  

Change Overload 

Some visionaries are afflicted by the “shiny ball” syndrome. They get so excited by change potential that they try to take on too many internal changes and projects at once. While the intent may be great and the long-term goal could be spot-on in alignment towards the company strategy, taking on too much organizational change at once can feel a lot like drinking out of a firehose. Team members can feel like they are lost in the shuffle, forget some of the changes, or just feel so overwhelmed that they resort to the behavior that is “easier,” which is often change avoidance altogether. 

The fix?  

Create a strategic road map for change. Ruthlessly prioritize what needs to be done when and communicate this with the team proactively. There will always be unpredictable changes needed in organizations, but try to limit this as much as possible by focusing on few strategic initiatives at once and providing your teams visibility with what they can expect, when, and why. Avoiding “surprise” changes when possible can go a long way at improving change angst.  

Poor Communication & Reinforcement of Change 

When you’re spearheading an organizational change, you feel like you’re living it and breathing it each day. To you, you know the ins and outs of the changes. It can be hard to remember that folks further from the change are not as attuned to the details and need to be brought into the change more regularly. This doesn’t just stop at the implementation of an organizational change, but continues after. Reinforcement of what’s changing, why, and what the new expectations of the team are is crucial. 

The fix?  

Over-communicate. Make sure that you have a plan to communicate internal changes prior to an upcoming launch, during the launch, and after the change is in place. Offer written documentation, verbal announcements through key sponsors, and training to support your team throughout the change.  

Remember that the finish line is not the implementation date. Change adoption is an ongoing process that requires reinforcement beyond that.