Why Change and Transformation Programmes Fail - Part 3. Politics

03 May 2021

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Politics (Kotter) – there are plenty of authorities on why transformation/change initiatives fail. However, simply sticking with Kotter (and especially his fable ‘Our Iceberg Is Melting’) enables us to predict the politics that spew from any transformation/change initiative. Individuals do not like change, period. Being prescient about the type of disruptors one will face in any transformation/change initiative is essential. Kotter likes to categorise them all as one – NoNos. However, I find it far more useful to be more specific, namely individuals being: Dismissive; In Denial; Blinkered; Opportunistic; Divisive; Anxious and Alarmed; Stubborn; Procrastinatory. The key to a successful transformation/change initiative is to make sure from the outset these types of disruptors and disruptions are 1) recognised, 2) identified, 3) managed effectively by the Guiding Coalition. If not, you’ll be part of the 80% of programs that fail.