Change management within organizations often feels like navigating a minefield. Your people roll their eyes at new initiatives, you feel the stress of needing to alter ingrained habits and beliefs, and stakeholders watch skeptically as you attempt to steer the ship. Work itself is more than enough on your plate, and the mere thought of adding change initiatives can be overwhelming.
In a previous article, we offered a roadmap for leaders eager to foster a change-ready environment. We differentiated change leadership from change management and how leadership is both the foundation and enabler of a change-ready organization.
Today, we will explore change management itself, the point at which you operationalize a new way of working, and the beliefs that typically prevent successful change.
Setting the Stage
Studies have shown the inherent difficulties of change management and how challenging it can be to implement changes successfully (Harvard DCE). Organizational obstacles and resistance are the leading causes of failure.
Compounding this challenging landscape are deeply held beliefs about change that can lead people astray, taking you farther from your desired outcomes. The psychology of resistance to change indicates that myths about change act as significant barriers (Frontiers). These myths are adversaries in your journey toward successful change. Like any great adventure, you must understand them and learn how to overcome them to move forward.
Now, let’s explore these myths and uncover the truths behind them.
The 7 Myths of Change
Myth 1: Change Management is About Process, Technology, and Systems
Many believe that change management revolves around implementing new processes, technologies, and systems. However, true change is a dialogic process, relying on ongoing conversations and interactions within the organization, focusing on communication dynamics.
Change is a continuous, evolving capability that allows people at all levels to adapt. Gervase Bushe’s work on dialogic change emphasizes the importance of conversations and the human element in successful change management (McKinsey & Company).
The Truth: Change is human first – systems, processes, or technology are secondary. Technology is easy to implement, but the human element, how people embrace or reject these changes, determines success.
Myth 2: Change Leadership Means Defining the Path and Ensuring People Stay on It
The idea that leaders must create a path and ensure everyone follows it is inaccurate. Change is not a Yellow Brick Road; it’s about finding and developing the builders of the road.
The tried and true leadership model of “strategize and execute” works great until it doesn’t. The best model is to create a system of expert road builders, meaning a team of skilled employees empowered to design and implement the path to change.
The Truth: Change is about cultivating the “road builders” needed. Leaders must empower their teams to find the best paths forward. This system allows for more success and permanent adaptability. And this only works if you give them the tools needed and freedom (trust, permission, safety) to do it.
Myth 3: A Leader’s Job is to Articulate Change, and Followers Make the Changes
The notion that leaders only need to articulate change while followers execute it is flawed. Leaders must go first. They need to know the way, show the way, and make it safe for others.
Without experiencing change themselves, leaders lack the empathy to guide effectively and cannot model the behavior they seek. Most “resistance” is actually engagement without proper direction and support (Cambridge University Press).
Share your own experience of change, and be the role model your people are asking for. This can be as easy as expressing that you don’t know something, demonstrating that it is okay to take risks, and communicating how important learning from mistakes are.
The Truth: Leaders must lead by example, creating a safe space for their teams to engage, ask questions, take risks, and learn. This creates a team eager to move forward with the best examples possible.
Myth 4: Transformation is a Systemic Process
The myth here is that transformation is systematic from the start. The truth is it begins as an individual endeavor within groups and teams. Systemic change only follows the initial efforts of individuals.
Individuals learn change skills faster in pairs and groups, helping establish new organizational norms within subgroups. So, change the wide-spread culture by first changing it in small, manageable groups. This becomes viral, with individuals and groups impacting other groups they are a part of.
The Truth: Transformation is an individual sport played in groups and teams. Systemic change follows, not precedes. Outline the play right, and use bright spots to your advantage.
Myth 5: You Start by Instituting New Beliefs to Drive Change
The concept that new initiatives start with instituting new beliefs is close but misguided. While new beliefs are crucial, you can’t simply announce them and expect others to adopt them without question.
Asking questions like ‘How can we improve this process?’ and engaging in dialogue teaches people that curiosity matters most. When you have a culture that prioritizes learning and curiosity, you can have dialogue that discovers new possibilities and a willingness to drive meaningful change.
The Truth: Asking questions and fostering dialogue are the most powerful behaviors for driving change. Leaders must engage in learning rather than simply directing. Create a safe space to ask questions and explore possibilities opens people up to new beliefs and, ultimately, change.
Myth 6: Telling People Clearly What to Do (So They Can Execute) Shows Change Leadership
Contrary to popular leadership methodology, change leadership isn’t about giving clear directives. It’s about changing behaviors that shift beliefs.
As we’ve shared in our previous article, people don’t change their beliefs under pressure. Behaviors change beliefs. A new belief won’t take hold until the old beliefs are discovered, disarmed, and willfully rejected.
The Truth: Behaviors change beliefs, not the other way around. New beliefs therefore take hold one person at a time. Start encouraging new behaviors immediately and begin the exploration process.
Myth 7: When it Comes to Change, Winning Organizations Must Be Best in Class
While most leaders never want to settle for less than the best, striving to be “Best in Class” can be limiting and overwhelming. Instead, aim for “Better in Class” by embracing rapid, continuous evolution (not just episodic initiatives).
‘Better in Class’ means framing problems to encourage improvement and adaptation rather than focusing solely on fixing what’s broken. This approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement, creating an environment of individuals better at problem-solving and more likely to be innovative.
The Truth: Better is Best. Make your goal to be “Better in Class” by embracing rapid, continuous evolution, not episodic programs.
Connecting the Dots
Armed with the truth about these myths (understanding that change is human-centered, requires leadership by example, and thrives on continuous improvement), you are now better equipped to lead transformative change. You can identify and overcome these myths when they arise in your change management projects, positioning yourself as a hero who spearheads successful change for your company and people.
Remember, better is best. These misleading ideas and strategies will continue to appear, but with time and experience, you’ll get better at spotting and overcoming them.
If you want more support in your change management journey, explore our other articles on the real secrets of change.
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About the Contributors:
We thank Michael Leckie, a distinguished thought leader in digital transformation and change leadership, whose expertise has been instrumental in shaping the concepts presented here. We also extend our gratitude to Gavin Pommernelle, whose expertise in leadership effectiveness and organizations at scale has enriched this discussion.
