Better Navigate Change: 4 Research-Backed Steps

Companies Who Better Navigate Change Are Able to Perform Better
Change is a constant driving force in today’s business world. Companies that resist change risk falling behind, while those that anticipate, adapt, and embrace change gain a clear competitive edge. The pace of disruption shows no signs of slowing, making it essential to develop change strategies, mindsets, and processes that turn change into an opportunity rather than a threat.

Sound Familiar? Change Management Consulting Experts See This All the Time
Companies face a wide range of transformative challenges, and seasoned change management consultants recognize them immediately:

• Reorganizing the business for greater efficiency
• Entering new markets to drive growth
• Adopting more effective behaviors and mindsets
• Implementing new technologies to stay competitive
• Responding to regulatory or market shifts
• Transitioning to new leadership
• Preparing for mergers or acquisitions

Each of these changes is complex on its own — combined, they demand a clear strategy, disciplined execution, and the ability to guide people through uncertainty.

Embrace Change — Understanding and Preparation Beat Resistance
For most organizations, the first step is recognizing that change is inevitable. Leaders who take the time to understand what’s coming and prepare their teams for change are far more effective than those who resist it. Companies that excel at change management don’t just survive disruptions — they adapt quickly, seize new opportunities, and build change resilience that ensures long-term success.

Four Steps to Better Navigate Change
How can leaders build resilience and agility within their organizations? Based on insights from our change management simulations, these four steps provide a clear roadmap for successfully navigating change:

1. Set the Stage for Change
   Start by clearly communicating the business case for change — explaining why it matters at the organizational, team, and individual levels. Employees are far more likely to embrace change when they understand its rationale and see how it benefits both the company and themselves. Since people naturally cling to the status quo, leaders must make the case that the change is urgent, necessary, and achievable.

   Strong-arm tactics or unrealistic promises won’t work. Instead, acknowledge that change can be challenging, and reassure your workforce that you and your change champions will be available to provide guidance, address obstacles, and answer every question along the way.

2. Guide the Change
   After clearly defining the change vision for the future, assemble a cross-functional change leadership team that is not only committed to that vision but also possesses the credibility and authority to drive it forward. This team becomes the guiding force, aligning stakeholders, addressing obstacles, and ensuring the organization moves cohesively toward its new reality.
3. Make Change Happen
   This is where vision becomes reality. Successful change implementation requires ongoing, two-way change communication, targeted change training that equips employees for new ways of working, and the empowerment of managers and teams at every level to make the day-to-day decisions that turn change into action. When people have the knowledge, tools, and authority to act, change stops being abstract and starts delivering real results.
4. Make Change Stick
   Ensure accountability at every level for driving the change forward. Reinforce new behaviors consistently, clearly, and fairly. Celebrate and reward those who embrace the change, while addressing change resistance in a constructive but firm manner. By embedding new business practices into everyday routines, you turn temporary adjustments into lasting transformation.

The Bottom Line
Our recent Organizational Alignment Research found that employees’ responsiveness to change ranks as the third most influential factor in organizational success. Companies that thrive are those that accept change as inevitable and actively integrate it into their culture, making adaptability a core part of their DNA. Start by building change readiness, fostering engagement, and embedding change into every level of your organization.

To learn more about how to better navigate change, download How Successful Change Leaders Mobilize, Design and Transform Their Change Initiatives