Business and organizational change efforts of any significant magnitude have proven to be ineffective in realizing their goals. Research indicates that 70% of change efforts fail. Leading change has become as integral to a leader’s success as managing the balance sheet or implementing a new customer service program. Yet most leaders lack a complete picture of how change happens. Too many continue to tinker with tactics and short-term fixes while hoping for transformation and long-term improvement. Many leaders are still asking others to engage and change without really understanding how to do that themselves. All too often leaders are rewarded for doing their “day job,” so they haphazardly lead change “on the side.” This results in change feeling fragmented, complicated, or theoretical by those on the front line—those who are required to implement the change.
