The new change formula for successful change projects
People and organizations are reluctant to change — even if they often claim otherwise. They usually react to change with resistance. The good news: resistance is valuable. It helps to check carefully whether a change really makes sense. Brain research confirms it too: resistance protects proven patterns of success. Only when a change is convincing are we willing to adapt these patterns. And that is a good thing — because they have secured our survival over thousands of years.
The new formula for change
Our “new formula for change” answers this question precisely. Only when the four variables “safety”, “focus”, “goals” and “successes” are present to a sufficient degree can you overcome resistance successfully. Then even challenging changes succeed.
“Our new formula for change shows what must be considered when organizations want to overcome resistance.”
Anne Babilon-Teubenbacher, Partner at CPC
Success factor 1: Safety in change
S stands for safety — as the absence of fear. People under stress cannot learn (and have no growth mindset). Because the stress hormone cortisol demonstrably inhibits the brain's ability to learn.
The same applies to organizations: stressed companies don't learn. When constant survival is in the foreground, people cannot develop new behaviors. This contradicts the widespread management thesis that you only have to put enough pressure on employees for them to change.
That is why creating safety is the central task of leaders. Only in an environment that offers fear-free safety are people willing to change.
Many leaders counter: “That doesn't work. Without pressure, team performance drops.” But people have learned to deal with pressure all their lives. Properly dosed, pressure can even be a positive incentive to change. It becomes critical, however, when the pressure grows so great that fear arises. In that moment the brain switches into survival mode, releases cortisol and thereby blocks all learning.
The tricky thing about fear is that it is entirely individual and follows no fixed rules. Leaders must therefore respond sensitively to the individual situation of each team member.
Only in this way can they guide the whole team, and ultimately the entire organization, well through the change. Safety is therefore an indispensable prerequisite for effective change management.
Typical examples and experiences from practice:
Success factor 2: Focus on the change project
Change management cannot happen casually and superficially on the side. Successful change requires consistent focus.
If organizations want to transform the way they collaborate, for example, but set no clear focus on it, everything stays as it was. The likelihood that anything will change under these conditions tends toward zero. So what is needed? Companies need maximum focus on the change. But who gives a company this focus?
First it is the board members and sponsors. They direct the organization's focus toward a particular topic.
Their active participation in the change process and their visible presence at information events signal to employees unmistakably: this topic is important. In this context we speak of the “guiding coalition” that actively drives the change forward and moves it to the center of attention. What is essential here is that board members and sponsors stay continuously involved, accompany the change process and regularly formulate clear expectations.
Leaders, too, play a central role when it comes to directing the necessary focus toward change.
Because only when they themselves clearly recognize and live the priority of the change will their teams understand the importance of the topic and act accordingly.
A serious obstacle to successful change processes is that the focus at board level and among leaders is lost over time.
Organizations often fall into the trap of easing off too early and, at the same time, devoting themselves to too many topics. How likely is it that a change will be carried through to the end successfully if the focus is lost? The danger of failure is considerable. That is why it is a central task of change management to consistently maintain focus and attention until the project is completed.
Putting change teams together correctly
An important signal from the board that the focus is on the change project lies in carefully staffing the change team. Successful change needs a strong team of sponsors, leaders and specialists who not only support the change but actively drive it forward. The composition of this team sends a clear signal to the entire workforce about how seriously the company is pursuing the change — and thereby determines the success of the change process.
This applies in particular to the selection of the project lead and the change multipliers. Ideally, the sponsors staff the role of project lead with a true champion, because planning the overall project is decisive for the success of the change. When recruiting the change multipliers, too, the criterion “Who currently has capacity?” should not be decisive. Rather, an early, committed and top-caliber team of multipliers signals: “This change has the highest priority.”
Typical examples and experiences from practice:
“When boards and leaders keep their focus on the change project from start to finish, change succeeds.”
Michael Babilon-Teubenbacher, Partner at CPC
Success factor 3: Goals of the transformation
Goals are important for measuring progress against the starting situation and determining what still needs to be achieved. Employees need clear objectives without conflicting goals that show them how far they have come and how many steps still lie ahead. But when goals are unclear or unrealistic, failure looms. Because employees need clear feedback that their efforts bring measurable successes and are worthwhile.
In addition, the goals must offer a clear benefit to both people and the organization and be attractive. Because change only has a chance of success when all employees are convinced: “It's worth it — I'll commit to this, even when it gets difficult.” Goals that focus solely on increasing efficiency or satisfying shareholders usually don't appeal to the workforce. Successful change management requires defining goals that are appealing and worthwhile for all stakeholders.
Moreover, goals should be formulated in clear and understandable language that appeals to everyone involved — ideally realized in a visual change story. Only in this way can employees identify with the change and find concrete points of connection.
Linking the transformation goals with the company values
People orient themselves toward values, and the company values are attractive to many employees — otherwise they would have chosen a different company. It therefore makes sense to link the transformation goals closely with the organization's values. This creates greater acceptance, even for uncomfortable changes. For this demanding task, companies need the support of experienced change specialists who confidently master this transfer work and the methodical toolkit.
Not least, transformation goals should pay directly into the business. Initiating change merely because of current trends makes no sense. Every change must offer the company a clearly measurable added value. Change projects that are not clearly linked to business success will not last in the organization. That is why defining goals is the third pillar of the change formula.
“What we at CPC believe in are goals that pay directly into the business.”
Gunnar Schultze, Partner at CPC
Success factor 4: Making change successes visible
Which behaviors do employees keep? The ones that make them successful. But the problem is: most people take a long time to internalize new behavior as a pattern of success. Until then they orient themselves by whether something feels good — and therein lies a great opportunity, but also a danger, in change management. Change often feels uncomfortable — which generates resistance. By contrast, it seems easier for many to simply carry on as before.
Using leaders as motivators
So that changes feel good to employees, leaders play a key role by pointing out the successes of the new behaviors.
Using leaders as motivators
Their task is to make the positive progress visible: “Look, that was a small step, but we made it together.” In this way employees gradually develop an awareness that the change is succeeding.
Involving leaders in the change
Often changes are too abstract, and the effects on culture and everyday life remain unclear. Clear information helps leaders fulfill their role as those affected by, and role models within, the change.
Involving leaders in the change
For this to succeed, leaders must be actively involved in the change process and supported through targeted communication measures and materials. In this way they can guide their teams safely through the change process.
Making successes visible with metrics
Metrics, too, are valuable for making successes visible. Every bit of progress, however small, must be recognizable to employees so they store the change as a pattern of success.
Making successes visible with metrics
Successful change management requires planning the change together with the program lead and the board so that regular successes become visible. The chance that people will sustain a change without interim successes over two or more years is minimal. That is why the change process should be broken down into stages to enable continuously visible and measurable progress.
Discussing successes within the team
Teaming, too, is decisive for how success is perceived. Within the team, both positive and negative developments can be discussed and successes identified.
Discussing successes within the team
Since team members experience setbacks at different times on the change curve, it helps when they remind one another of the successes so far and support each other.
Honoring and celebrating change
Last but not least: celebrating successes strengthens motivation. Even small steps deserve recognition — for example through awards or intranet posts.
Honoring and celebrating change
Regular success stories confirm to employees that the change is working. At the end of an important phase and of the entire change process, the board honors the commitment of those involved in a celebratory town hall meeting. Such recognition strengthens engagement and motivates people to drive the transformation further. It forms the perfect conclusion to the four-step change formula.
Let's discuss
your project with us!
The first step is easy — and don't worry: we won't send you dull newsletters or annoying promotional emails. Instead, we focus on what matters: your change goals and how we can move your business forward.
Step 1
Call back or email.
Within 24 hours we get in touch with you, capture your requirements and arrange an appointment with one of our experts.
Step 2
Free initial consultation.
In a video call you explain your project and discuss possible solution scenarios together with our expert.
Step 3
You decide how to proceed.
Proposal, pitch or project kickoff? You set the next steps.