Accidentally Aligned: Why Aren't People Committed to Our Business Transformation?

In transformational efforts, it's crucial to acknowledge that not everyone will embrace change or the vision behind it.

Through my experiences, I've learned that despite our best efforts, there will always be individuals resistant to change, often due to personal benefits within the current system. This resistance, while understandable, can hinder progress and be disrespectful to those eager to evolve. It's essential to listen, understand concerns, and provide support while safeguarding against detractors.

A couple of things to think about when making a business transformation successful:

1. Have I clearly stated our vision and purpose? Who will be there? What will they be doing? Why will they be doing it? How will it feel? What will not be happening?

2. Do our people understand why this is necessary? Do they understand the value that they are adding and why this is needed at this time?

3. Do we have a strong feedback mechanism in place to hear our people and do we have capability in place to respond in a timely manner?

4. Do we have standards in place that direct our teams what to do and how long it should take to do it?

5. Do we have capacity for what we are trying to do? Is it hard (machine) capacity, soft (people) capacity, or both? This is one way that we can demonstrate respect for our people. True transformation is challenging but immensely rewarding. Let's make tomorrow better than today.