By Kristi Meredith
Change is happening faster than ever—driven by new technologies, shifting political landscapes, and evolving user needs. Organizations that can’t adapt risk being left behind. Yet, research shows that 70% of transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review talks about why so many of these efforts fall short: Why Transformations Fail.
So how can you improve your odds of success? It starts with change readiness—a term that can feel vague and overused. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but there are a few key things every organization should consider before diving into transformation or change.
- Understand the Need for Change
Is this change actually solving a real, measurable problem? Too often, organizations jump on trends without identifying a clear purpose. Before making any big moves, ensure there’s a well-defined issue, clear success metrics, and benchmarks.
- Evaluate Organizational Readiness
Is there infrastructure in place to support this change? Think about resources, leadership commitment, and a structured plan. Without these, even the best transformation ideas and efforts can fall short.
- Check Willingness to Change
How do people across the organization feel about this shift? If there’s confusion or skepticism, resistance will be inevitable. Engaging representatives across the organization early can help create alignment and buy-in.
The Case for an ‘Inception for Change’ Workshop
We run inception workshops for products to align teams—why not do the same for major change initiatives? An ‘Inception for Change’ workshop brings together leadership, staff, and key interest holders to figure out what’s needed to ensure readiness before launching a transformation.
What This Looks Like:
- A diverse mix of leadership and staff to get broad perspectives
- Discussions on what’s needed to prepare, such as training, messaging, leadership support, and resource allocation
- A structured approach to managing a ‘change backlog’ with clear action items
No organization will ever be 100% ready for change—people naturally gravitate toward what’s familiar. But by proactively assessing needs and aligning the team through an inception workshop, you can significantly improve your chances of a successful transformation.
If your organization is gearing up for a big shift, consider running an Inception for Change session. It’s a simple yet powerful way to get ahead of some of the challenges that come with transformation.