Organizational change today is rampant. Non-stop. And organizations are frankly failing at leading their teams through it. Today let’s talk about the 5 biggest reasons for failure in change, and how to do it better.
Organizational change today is rampant. Non-stop. And organizations are frankly failing at leading their teams through it. Today let’s talk about the 5 biggest reasons for failure in change, and how to do it better.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
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Hey, it’s Rachel Cooke, your Modern Mentor. I’m the founder of Lead Above Noise—a firm helping leaders get more from their teams - no burnout in sight. We do leader bootcamps, keynotes, and Pulse checks to help build custom blueprints. Let us know what you need!
OK. So who’s ready to chat about change? I can’t believe how much of my work is focused on it these days. Because – you know – it’s kind of pervasive and non-stop and exhausting?
The thing that hurts my heart the most though isn’t how poorly companies are leading their teams through it (you know – to burnout and mistrust and frustration and poor implementation). No, what hurts the most is how simply they could be doing a great job of leading it.
If only they had more clarity around why they’re failing in the first place.
Today I wanna talk about the 5 biggest failures I’m seeing happen time again. And what I would love to invite leaders to do differently.
1. Failure to pull the thread
Can we real-talk about American football for a hot second?
Because here’s a thing that happens in my house. My husband is sitting on the couch watching a game. Like caring about what’s happening. So I’ll sit down next to him.
And yet while we’re visually seeing the same thing, what we’re each experiencing is night and day.
Me? I see a mess. Absolute chaos. A bunch of padded dudes running, jumping on each other, throwing and kicking balls. Like a full-out free-for all. To me it looks absurd.
But the husband? He sees strategy, tactics, a sequence of plays that form a cohesive story. Why? Because he understands the game. He’s learned it and he sees how all the moving parts fit together; build upon each other.
Change in our workplaces is no different. What feels like chaos to our teams can be seen as strategy when we pull the thread through each moving part. Your role as a leader is to connect the dots: that new software, the team reshuffle, the shiny new customer strategy—they're not just isolated decisions, they’re all part of a bigger narrative.
If you help your team see the totality of your change efforts, you can replace confusion and fatigue with understanding and engagement.
2. Failure to plan with agility
So as already evidenced, I don’t know much about football at all. But I do feel like I’ve noticed one thing. And it’s kind of a big deal. It’s about the coach. They always show up with a strategy. But never a fully baked plan.
Like I know the game is a series of plays. But the coach doesn’t show up with all the plays laid out. No – and I think I’m right here – the coach starts by calling a play. But they use the outcome of that play to determine the next one.
This, friends, is agility. Real-time planning – with flexibility and the ability to use current inputs to inform next steps.
And yet you know what I keep seeing organizations do? The complete opposite.
They’re consistently making long-term change plans with zero room for humility—no space for things to go wrong, for pivots, for learning as they go.
It’s a disaster in the making.
What if we planned like the pros? Instead of laying out every play for the next five years, let’s plan in shorter bursts. Get a few steps ahead, see what happens, adjust, and keep moving forward. Your goalposts can stay far out, but your plans? Keep ’em tight and adaptable.
3. Failure to re-energize your people
Ever have one of those days that just felt like…too much? Like your boss dropped a last-minute emergency on your plate and you’re pretty sure your kid hates you and that light came on in your car and an anxious client keeps calling every hour on the hour?
Or whatever your version of that day is. But we’ve all been there. In a moment of just too much.
And what you think you need most is help. Solutions. Or support. And maybe that’s all true.
But the truth is, sometimes just being seen can make a huge difference. Like one person to look at you and say “hey – I see what today has dropped on you. And I seriously wish I could help. But just know that I see how hard you’re working through it all and I’m hear if you need to vent.”
And all of this change we’re carrying – it’s like a long, heavy day that keeps on coming. And sometimes – even when you can’t solve or change things – you can let your people know they’re seen. And you’ll support them where you can.
It's not your fault, and it’s not necessarily yours to fix—but it is yours to acknowledge.
Take a moment to say, “Hey, it’s been tough—for me too. How are you holding up?” You don’t have to be a therapist or a doctor, but just asking – and acknowledging - can make a difference.
And then look for ways to bring a little ease into the system. Clarify what you can. Give context where it’s needed. Resolve that tiny issue that’s been an energy drain for your team. Every solid you do counts.
4. Failure to ask the frontline
Good leadership means having a bird’s eye view—but being perched high up also means you’re far from the weeds. And that’s okay. You’re not supposed to be in the trenches all the time.
But here’s the thing: if you’re building a change plan, don’t just create it in isolation. Before you roll it out, get input from the people on the frontline—the folks who will actually be living it.
A lot of change plans look great on paper... until reality hits. And you find out two critical systems don’t actually talk to each other. Or the plan makes shipping slower. Or it frustrates your customers. Your teams have the insights that you might miss, and when you don’t learn from them upfront, you risk backtracking, losing credibility, and eroding trust.
So take the time to ask. Early feedback equals a better plan, every time.
5. Failure to celebrate—early and often
And finally, let’s talk about my favorite thing: celebration. Wanna know the greatest predictor of success? It’s success!
So set that big goal, but don’t wait to hit the finish line before you cheer. Find the small wins and celebrate the [bleep] out of them. Why? Because celebrating releases dopamine—a little brain chemical that feels amazing—and your team will want more of it.
Got a big change like a complete overhaul of customer outreach? Don’t wait till it’s 100% done. The first new positive customer interaction? That’s your moment to honor progress. Acknowledge the small victories, and you’ll build momentum that makes change feel not only achievable but energizing.
Change is hard. But it’s here to stay. If your change efforts are stalling or even just failing to delight you, take a step back and see if you might be guilty of one of these five fails. My guess is you’ll find at least one.
And if you need some support or just wanna chat, you know where to find me. Drop me a note, and let’s connect.
Join me next week for another great episode. Until then, visit my website at leadabovenoise.com if your workplace could use an activation boost—a bootcamp, a keynote, a Pulse check—you choose! You can follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And of course, find and follow me on LinkedIn. Thanks so much for listening, and have a successful week!
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