Sustaining Change for Long-Term Business Success

Roughly 70% of changes that businesses implement fail to stick (Nohria & Beer, Harvard Business Review). The true measure of success lies not just in the act of change itself, but in the ability to sustain those changes over time. What strategies do successful businesses employ to sustain lasting change? 

Understanding change resistance: 

When executing change, firms may face restraining forces (such as a lack of resources or employee disagreement) which inhibit implementation. Although these obstacles may seem resolved after a change is made, they can resurface and impact the change's effectiveness over time. Successful businesses actively monitor, mitigate, and prevent these restraining forces, even after completing implementation. 

Just in time feedback: 

The idea is to offer less guidance more often, rather than to periodically conduct a large progress review. By providing feedback in real-time, employees can quickly adjust their actions or strategies to stay aligned with desired change outcomes. This approach promotes consistency and strong communication among team members, reducing the possibility of breakdown in the integration of new practices. 

Accountability: 

Accountability as a person of influence is more than accepting responsibility, it is setting clear expectations at every level, ensuring that everyone understands their contribution in solidifying a change. To maintain team accountability, firms utilise a fortnightly practice of setting and reviewing SMART goals, where both team members and reviewers are held responsible for performance analysis. 

Maintaining a change is just as important as initiating one. In an era so fast-paced, sustaining implemented changes is crucial for business development, progression, and overall success.