Embed

For transformation to last, new behaviours must become the default way of working, otherwise people will tend to revert back.

Too often, organisations celebrate early successes but fail to reinforce them. People fall back into old habits, compliance slips and the expected benefits come under pressure. Real change isn’t about getting started—it’s about making it stick.

The Invisible Force That Pulls People Back

Over 80% of daily actions are driven by habit—automatic behaviours shaped by repetition, not conscious decision-making. If new ways of working don’t become habits, they will always require extra effort. And when pressure mounts, people will default to what’s comfortable.

Charles Duhigg, in The Power of Habit, describes how habits form through a cue-routine-reward loop. If you’ve ever moved house and found yourself accidentally driving to your old place, you’ve experienced this first-hand. Your brain responded to the cue (“time to go home”) by following an ingrained routine (your old route) in order to get the expected reward (being home).

Over time, this loop updates—but only through repeated reinforcement.

Change efforts fail when:

• The environment signals that old behaviours are still acceptable – If legacy processes and metrics remain, so do old habits.
• New behaviours aren’t reinforced – Without recognition and repetition, change feels temporary.
• Leaders revert under pressure – If senior figures don’t consistently model the change, others won’t either.

How to Make Change Stick

Embedding change means turning new ways of working into second nature. This involves:

✅ Reinforcing desired behaviours – Regularly recognise and reward people who embody the change.
✅ Shaping daily routines – Design workflows and team habits so the new approach becomes automatic.
✅ Removing competing behaviours – Reduce access to old processes and structures that pull people back.
✅ Modelling from the top – When leaders visibly commit to the change, it signals that it’s here to stay.

Real-World Examples

Lasting change happens when reinforcement is built into the system:

• Toyota’s lean manufacturing approach hardwires continuous improvement into daily team routines.
• Netflix’s culture of radical candour is maintained by making open feedback part of regular interactions.
• Singapore’s transformation into a clean city worked because fines, public campaigns, and urban design reinforced new habits long after the initial push.

These weren’t one-time initiatives—they became deeply embedded ways of operating.

Embedding in Action

Let’s assume you’re rolling out a new collaboration tool. A typical approach might focus on training and a launch announcement. A High-Impact Changemaker approach would include:

1. Phasing out old tools to remove the temptation to revert
2. Building usage into team rituals (e.g., making all updates happen through the new platform)
3. Recognising and rewarding people who fully adopt the new system
4. Ensuring leaders use it first, showing that it’s the new normal

Sustainability Over Short-Term Wins

Change isn’t just about what happens during a project—it’s about what happens after. When new ways of working become second nature, transformation doesn’t just succeed once—it keeps delivering impact long into the future.

Because real change isn’t something people “try.” It’s something they do—every day.