Reasons Business Transformations Stall

Every founder expects transformation to happen fast. Here's the brutal reality: Only 30-35% of transformation projects succeed. The expectation: 'We'll implement this new system and everything will be better in 90 days.' The reality: Most teams are completely unprepared for what transformation actually requires. Why most transformations fail: • 64% start without a clear roadmap • 76% fail to align with what customers actually need • 74% have ineffective change management • Teams think transformation is about tools, not behaviors The uncomfortable truth: → Transformation isn't a project you complete. → It's a capability you build. What successful transformation actually looks like: • Months of unlearning old habits • Daily resistance from people who liked the old way • Constant iteration and adjustment • Small wins that compound over time The founders who succeed at transformation: 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲. Transformation is 20% strategy, 80% psychology. What transformation are you expecting to happen faster than it realistically can?

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀? E𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁?? It’s not about poor ideas. It’s not about lazy teams. It’s about 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚. Behind every “transformation” are overwhelmed leaders, tired teams, unclear priorities. And a lot of wishful thinking. Here are 10 challenges that quietly sabotage change efforts (even in the best-run companies): 1) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘆. People can’t commit to what they don’t understand. → Clarity isn’t a luxury — it’s a leadership responsibility. 𝟮) 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗴. Most execs have to act before all the facts are in. → That’s not reckless — but without structured scenario planning, it becomes risky. 𝟯) 𝗪𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. We overload teams already at capacity, hoping they’ll just “make it work.” → Sustainable change requires ruthless prioritization and realistic phasing. 𝟰) 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲. Change without active, visible leadership is change that quietly dies. → People follow behavior, not PowerPoints. 𝟱) 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆. You can’t support your team if you’re running on fumes. → Self-care isn’t soft — it’s strategic. 𝟲) 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝘆. When everything’s urgent, nothing gets done well. → High-performing execs do less, better. 𝟳) 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸. One email or town hall won’t do it. → Communication is a process, not an announcement. 𝟴) 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱. People don’t resist change. They resist 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡. → Involve them early. Speak to their fears, not just your plans. 𝟵) 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴. Most orgs aren’t set up to 𝙙𝙤 change. They just expect it to happen. → Frameworks, training, tools. They’re not nice-to-haves. 𝟭𝟬) 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁. Change fizzles when it’s not embedded. → Celebrate progress. Reinforce behaviors. Institutionalize the shift. If you’re leading through change right now, here’s your reminder: ✔ You’re not alone. ✔ It’s not just you. ✔ This is the real work of transformation. 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 — 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝟭𝟬 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱? ----- 👋 I’m Lars – delivering transformation that sticks. 🔔 Follow me for more on 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 and 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. ✉️ DM 'READY' for insights.

Most transformation failures I’ve seen had nothing to do with strategy. The real issue? No one planned for what it would feel like to go through it. People don’t resist change because they’re stubborn. They resist because the future is unclear, the metrics shift every quarter, and they’re still being measured by yesterday’s rules. What I wish every CEO knew: You can’t just redesign the org. You have to redesign how people make decisions in uncertainty. How they lead when the answers aren’t obvious. How they stay grounded when things move faster than comfort allows. Transformation isn’t a launch event. It’s a long season of unlearning, learning, and reimagining. And if you're not actively creating safety for that? Even your best strategy will stall.