Transformation Happens One Person at a Time
Why understanding the individual side of change may be the most important part of transformation When organisations talk about transformation, the conversation often revolves around strategies, operating models, systems, structures and project plans. Yet organisations themselves do not change. People do. One decision, one behaviour, one conversation and one habit at a time. Over the years, I have noticed that many transformation initiatives struggle not because the strategy i
7 min read
Why Alignment Is Not Enough — The Role of a Guiding Coalition in Change
In many transformation efforts, a familiar pattern appears. A leader — often responsible for driving the change — invests time aligning key stakeholders one by one. Conversations happen, views are exchanged, concerns are addressed and gradually, a sense of alignment seems to emerge. On the surface, this feels like progress. But when the transformation starts to move, something often becomes visible: alignment is there — but collective ownership is not. Why one-to-one alignmen
3 min read
Why Middle Managers Matter Most in Times of Change
When change arrives in an organization, the visible shifts tend to take centre stage: new processes, new structures, new systems. What is less visible — and often far more decisive — is what happens to people. Change destabilises. Even when it is necessary, well-intended, or exciting on paper, it disrupts routines, identities, and informal certainties. And when that happens, people do not turn first to strategy decks, project plans, or leadership statements. They turn to thos
4 min read
Should Transformations Be Delivered For Organisations — or Built With Them?
In almost every large transformation I have been close to, a familiar question appears sooner or later: “Should we bring in a consulting firm to run this — or should we build the capability inside?” The question is usually framed as a binary choice. Either we outsource the thinking and delivery to experts, or we struggle internally and hope people learn along the way. In practice, this framing is too simple — and often unhelpful. What matters more is how external support is u
4 min read
