Looking back over the past few years, it’s hard to think of another period where leaders have been forced to adapt so quickly. Some changes we chose. Others arrived without warning and demanded an immediate response. That’s the reality of modern leadership.
At Applied Change, we’ve experienced the same mix as everyone else — unexpected disruption followed by rapid reinvention. But the past few years have also created clarity. They’ve shown us what truly enables organisations to move fast, stay resilient, and deliver results when it matters most.
And one truth stands above all others:
Organisations don’t struggle because of the amount of change — they struggle because of how people experience it.
The post-Covid, AI enabled world has only amplified this. Yes, there’s more flexibility. But leaders also face new pressures: declining engagement, fatigue, rising expectations, and an increasingly sceptical workforce that has seen too many “big initiatives” produce very little.
The Misconceptions That Slow Organisations Down
If you want your organisation to accelerate this year, the first step is to challenge a set of deeply embedded misconceptions that quietly derail execution. These beliefs look harmless, but they drain momentum, increase friction, and make even good strategies harder than they should be.
- “People don’t like change.”
People don’t dislike change — they dislike feeling out of control, overloaded, or unconvinced. - “Moving faster will overwhelm people.”
Speed doesn’t create stress. Uncertainty, poor communication, and unclear priorities do. - “Change fatigue is caused by the volume of change.”
It’s not the amount of change — it’s the friction created by how change is led. - “Efficiency, restructuring or cost programs will always meet resistance.”
Only when people don’t understand the rationale, the plan, or the implications. - “Engagement means pushing out more communication.”
Engagement is not communication volume; it’s emotional commitment. - “There isn’t a better way — this is just how change works.”
This belief keeps organisations stuck in a cycle where 70% of major initiatives still underperform, just as McKinsey and others have been reporting for decades.
The consequences of these misconceptions are real. Large programmes overrun. Critical capabilities arrive late. IT transformations stall. In fact, around 17% of major tech initiatives go so far off track they threaten the organisation’s viability.
None of this happens because leaders don’t care. It happens because organisations keep applying the same thinking and hope for different results.
What the Past Two Decades Have Taught Us
After 25 years working with leaders across industries, one pattern has become clear:
The organisations that execute well aren’t the ones with the best plans — they’re the ones with the fewest misconceptions.
They understand that:
- Engagement isn’t a communications activity; it’s a leadership responsibility.
- Speed comes from clarity, not pressure.
- People commit when they feel involved, not when they feel managed.
- Momentum is created by removing friction, not by pushing harder.
When leaders challenge the myths around change, something powerful happens:
Execution gets easier. Teams move faster. Decisions stick. Resistance falls. Results improve.
That’s why my mission — and Applied Change’s focus — is simple:
Help leaders shift the way they think about change so they can deliver better outcomes with less strain on their people.
If You Want this year to Be Different, Start by Challenging What Held You Back last year
So here’s the question worth asking as you look ahead:
Which misconceptions about change are slowing you down right now?
If you want to lead faster, more confidently, and with more commitment from your teams, then the first step is understanding the hidden forces that undermine momentum — and how to remove them.
You’re Invited: The Executive Briefing on High-Momentum Strategy Execution
If you’re ready to challenge the outdated assumptions that hold organisations back — and you want to accelerate the success of your priorities this year — join me for an upcoming Executive Briefing.
This is not a training programme or a generic webinar. It’s a practical, 60-minute session designed specifically for senior leaders who want:
- Faster execution
- Higher commitment from their teams
- Less resistance and friction
- A clearer line of sight to real results
Together, we’ll break down the patterns that drain momentum — and the shifts that create it.
Click below to see available dates and secure your place.
Executive Briefing: High-Momentum Leadership
Let’s make this the year your organisation delivers the results your strategy deserves.
