Why Change Can Fail

Knowing what not to do

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There's no denying it – change is tough! When thinking about change, we often look for "how to" tips: How do you start a change process? How do you engage people in change? How do you make sure you follow through on your change plans?

With something as complex as change, forward-thinking "how-tos" are usually only half of the picture. So don't just ask how change succeeds, ask why it fails: This can offer valuable lessons as well!

Look back on a recent change initiative. Have you ever caught yourself saying, "We should have done this." or "If only we'd done that."? If yes, you can probably appreciate exploring change from a failure perspective. There are so many variables to consider in any change project – and so many things that can go wrong!

So let's consider "what goes wrong." Learning from experience is very powerful, and it's worth applying the lessons from other people's mistakes before you start down the path of change.

Here are seven main reasons that change can fail.

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