Leading change, YesP-style
Most changes do not fail because of the wrong strategy. They fail in the gap between decision-making and day-to-day reality, where priorities compete, mandates are unclear and old habits prove stronger than new plans.
The scale and pace of change have increased in many organisations. At the same time, today’s operations must continue to function whilst tomorrow’s operations take shape. That is why we view the ability to adapt to change as an integral part of organisational performance, rather than as a separate project. This is how we approach strategic change management.
1. Clarify what the change is intended to achieve, and how far-reaching it is
A limited improvement is not managed in the same way as a transformation in which identity, culture and working methods change simultaneously. We therefore start with the outcome: what needs to improve, for whom, and how will this be evident? It is equally important to decide what should be retained. Renewal does not mean that everything has to be made new.
2. Understand the system, both in theory and in practice
Strategy documents set out what the organisation aims to achieve. Everyday choices reveal what it actually prioritises. We examine how structure, governance, culture, relationships and history interact, and ask a key question: what within the system makes today’s behaviours rational? The answer to why previous initiatives have fizzled out is often to be found there.
3. Ensure ownership lies where it should
Change must be driven by line management. HR, communications and project managers provide vital support, but they cannot replace management’s responsibility for setting objectives, priorities, resources and decisions. This ownership must be evident in how time and money are allocated. Furthermore, the management team needs to lead collectively for the organisation as a whole, not as representatives of their own departments.
4. Prioritise minimising the number of movements, and remove any obstacles
Decisiveness is not the same as a high level of activity. It often requires fewer initiatives, clearer choices and the removal of certain elements: conflicting objectives, unnecessary decision-making steps or working methods that have had their day. We also make the abstract observable. What do ”increased responsibility” or ”better collaboration” mean in concrete terms, in terms of which decisions and which behaviours?
5. Let the change take place in the day-to-day work
Culture changes through new experiences, not through new buzzwords. When a mandate is actually handed over, a conflict is dealt with openly or a new collaboration yields better results, the organisation gains proof that a different way of working is possible. That is why leaders and teams practise dealing with real issues and decisions. What happens between meetings is what matters.
6. Stay on course, adjust your route
In complex change processes, it is rarely possible to plan the entire journey from the outset. The direction and desired outcome are fixed, whilst the path is tested and adjusted through recurring learning loops: what do we see, what is working, and what do we need to do differently? We treat resistance as information, not merely as an obstacle. It often reveals something important about risks, resources or identity.
From change projects to the capacity for renewal
The aim is not merely to implement a change, but for the organisation to become better at changing: to understand the world around us, take action, learn and renew itself, whilst maintaining clarity and trust. That is where long-term performance is built, and where job satisfaction lies – when, together, we achieve something we can be proud of.
Are you facing a strategic change, or one that has lost momentum? We’d be happy to have a chat about where your leverage lies – and the coffee’s on us.