The project launched.
The comms were sent.
The training sessions were well attended…
So why isn’t anything really changing?
This is one of the most common and costly traps I see in change leadership: assuming that delivery equals adoption.
But here’s the truth:
Go-live is a milestone — not a mission accomplished.
And if new habits don’t follow fast, old ones will slip right back in.
Most organisations put enormous effort into getting the change out there — but very little into embedding it once it’s live.
In this post, we’ll explore:
Why behaviour change is the real goal of most transformations
The neuroscience behind habit formation (and why it matters)
3 practical ways to help change stick — long after the launch party ends
🧠 Why New Habits beat New Systems
Organisations don’t change.
People do.
And most project failures aren’t due to poor design or bad intent — they’re due to behaviour that quietly drifts back to default.
Neuroscience tells us that over 80% of what we do is habit-driven.
So if your team’s behaviour doesn’t change, your project won’t ultimately deliver what you need.
Announcements may spark awareness.
But habits drive consistency.
And consistency is where value lives.
⚙️ The Science of Sustainable Change
Behaviour change researchers like BJ Fogg and Charles Duhigg have shown that habits form best when:
They’re triggered by clear cues
They’re easy to repeat
They deliver quick, visible rewards
In other words: people repeat what’s rewarded, supported, and easy to do.
If your change initiative doesn’t support these three, it’ll require constant pushing.
And constant pushing kills momentum — and morale.
🔁 3 Ways to Embed Change That Actually Sticks
1. Reward What You Want Repeated
Don’t just celebrate outcomes.
Recognise the small, daily actions that signal true adoption — even when they’re messy or imperfect.
“You get what you measure and you keep what you reward.”
2. Make the Right Way the Easy Way
People fall back to the path of least resistance.
So design your environment — your processes, tools, and expectations — to make the new way the natural choice.
Think:
Shortcuts that align with new workflows
Removing friction from desired behaviours
Nudges and prompts that reinforce the change
3. Model It Relentlessly
No one believes a message that isn’t modelled.
When leaders behave differently, teams follow.
When they don’t, teams watch… and wait.
If you want cultural change, lead visibly.
Embed it into how you speak, run meetings, and respond to challenges.
Bringing it all together:
You’ve already done the hard work of launching something new.
Now the real opportunity is embedding it — so that change becomes culture.
Because here’s the reality:
No announcement ever changed an organisation.
Habits did.
So before you plan your next rollout, ask:
👉 “Are we reinforcing behaviours, or just announcing intentions?”
If you’re ready to make your change effort the one that actually lasts, start with the habits.
And start today.
What’s Next?
Want help embedding change that sticks?
Request your free Habit Anchoring Framework by adding a comment below or if you want to have it tailored to your specific project then just hit the link below to book a free chat.
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