How often do we find ourselves doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? That’s ok of course if we like the result, but in so many cases, especially where change is concerned, we don’t. Or at least we would prefer it to be better somehow.
Even looking at how organisations typically approach change from a macro perspective, we’re still tending to use approaches, tools and techniques that are decades old. And yet the nature of organisational change itself is changing, it’s becoming increasingly transformational and the pace is accelerating rapidly.
Change is, by definition, an uncertain process, it’s a journey into the unknown. Much as we’d love to have one template, one model, one framework that works every time the reality is that these don’t take account of the uncertain nature of human behaviour and the pace at which the world is changing.
Models, templates and frameworks are useful of course but the essential ingredient that’s often missed is taking the time to reflect with honesty, using solid, ideally measurable information, remaining aware of our biases and keeping an open mind. What worked last year or last week won’t necessarily work today, in this scenario with these people within this global context.
As we move through change, it’s critical to keep our radar up, to evaluate what’s happening inside ourselves, inside those around us, within the wider organisation and within the markets the organisation is operating in. We recommend considering at least the following questions:
- Are we still as motivated to change as we were?
- Has anything new happened that will make the change more difficult for those involved?
- Do we still understand how we’re going to get there and how we’re doing on the journey?
- Are the new habits embedding well enough or are we at least thinking ahead to how we’ll ensure that is the case?
- Is something changing in the organisation or in the wider operating environment that could affect what we’re doing?
- Are we reflecting often enough to see things as they happen?
Change is all too often a very top-down affair with much of the focus on the outcomes or results of the change (revenue, profit, costs, deadlines, budget performance etc). It’s very easy to fall into the trap of focusing so much on these hard outcomes we forget to pay enough attention to key factor that will get us there, essentially the extent to which everyone is engaged and committed to making it happen. It’s understandable of course because it’s the results that we’re all judged on and they are easy to measure but focusing on those hard metrics without paying sufficient attention to the “soft” factors is where it comes unstuck. The result, if we’re not very careful, is in pushing people for results we end up killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
It’s rare for any of us to be really good at something, naturally and without effort. You’ve probably heard the claim that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. Change is no different. Like learning to ride a bike, we’ll only truly improve if we’re allowed to fall a few times and accept that occasionally we’ll end up with the equivalent of a scraped knee or bruised ego. And then we pick ourselves up and try a slightly different approach, until we begin to master it.
Regularly evaluating change, if done with honesty, empathy and support tends to create an environment for continuous improvement and a growth mindset. An environment where people can experiment with ideas without the fear of getting it wrong. That’s when ideas really kick in and innovation becomes part of the fabric of the business. In a fast-paced, ever-changing business environment that can be the critical difference.
Know What’s Working
Change isn’t just about action—it’s about impact. Organisations often continue with initiatives without truly understanding whether they are working. Are people adopting the change? Is it delivering real benefits? What needs adjusting? Without effective evaluation, even well-intentioned change can drift off course, wasting time, energy, and resources.
Why Measuring Change Is Critical
Many change efforts fail not because they were the wrong idea, but because subtle signals weren’t spotted and addressed in time. If no one is actively monitoring the important but often less visible signals such as adoption, engagement and other underlying factors, issues often don’t surface till it’s too late to course-correct.
Common contributors include:
Relying only on surface-level metrics – Tracking system logins or training attendance won’t tell you if behaviours have actually changed.
Assuming silence means success – People may appear compliant while quietly reverting to old ways.
Focusing only on the positives – Without honest feedback, blind spots remain, and resistance festers.
Clinging to outdated approaches – What worked last year may not work today, in this organisation, with these people.
How to Evaluate Change Effectively
Evaluation is about seeing without judgement, it’s about genuine curiosity, learning, adapting, and improving. The most effective changemakers keep their radar up and encourage those around them to do the same. Creating a culture of constant improvement and honest reflection helps to minimise those last minute shocks.
✅ Are people still motivated? – If enthusiasm is fading, what’s causing it?
✅ Have new obstacles emerged? – What’s making change harder, and how can we address it?
✅ Are behaviours reverting back? – Are people truly working differently, or just going through the motions?
✅ Is the wider environment changing? – Are external factors (market changes, leadership changes) affecting progress or likely to undermine the outcomes?
These questions go beyond numbers to a place of real honesty, a desire to see what’s really there, not just what’s comfortable.
Real-World Examples
The best organisations are constantly learning, especially when transforming, some examples include:
- Many tech and marketing companies use rapid experimentation (A/B testing) to refine new initiatives before scaling them.
- Agile teams use retrospectives at the end of every sprint to fine-tune their approach.
- Netflix constantly evaluates viewer engagement, using insights to refine recommendations and decide which shows to renew or cancel.
- Sir Dave Brailsford transformed British cycling by improving hundreds of tiny factors, from athlete sleep routines to bike aerodynamics. Over time, these small adjustments compounded into record-breaking success.
In these examples the emphasis is on being willing to adapt based on what’s really happening, rather than sticking blindly with a convenient truth or established practices.
Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning
It’s common in organisations to focus on results—cost, revenue, deadlines. These are important, but other the result of other more subtle changes and focusing exclusively only on them often leads to short-term thinking that undermines long-term success.
Think of change like learning to ride a bike. No one masters it instantly. You fall, adjust, and try again. If mistakes are punished instead of used as learning opportunities, people stop experimenting. The result? They retreat to old ways, and real innovation stops.
The most successful changemakers create an environment where people can learn without fear—where experimentation is encouraged, honest conversations are welcomed, and adapting to change becomes second nature.
Evaluation in Action
If you’re rolling out a new hybrid working policy, a traditional approach might involve setting new guidelines and assuming employees will adjust. A High-Impact Changemaker approach would include:
- Gathering real-time feedback from employees and managers on what’s working and what’s not
- Looking beyond compliance (attendance or desk bookings) to assess productivity, engagement, and collaboration
- Testing and iterating – Adjust the policy based on actual experiences rather than rigid assumptions
- Keeping communication open so people feel heard and invested in shaping the change
Change That Adapts is Change That Succeeds
Change isn’t a one-off event—it’s a process of learning, adapting, and improving. When evaluation becomes part of everyday thinking, organisations don’t just track success—they create it.
Success doesn’t come from what was implemented but what truly delivers value.
