Ideal Team Vs. Real World Team

ReadBest PracticesInfographicFun Yet Informative

Sep 15

The Human Side of Transformation: Navigating the Messy Reality of Change

Change may start with a strategy, but it succeeds with people.

We love to geek out over the processes, strategies, and those shiny new tools that are supposed to make everything better. We picture this smooth, magical journey where everyone gets it, jumps on board, and everything flows perfectly from point A to point B. But, come on—let’s be real. That kind of perfect transformation is about as likely as spotting a unicorn in the office parking lot.

At the core of every business change, no matter how tech-savvy or cutting-edge, are people. And here’s the kicker—they’re not robots. Nope, they’re emotional, unpredictable, and, let’s face it, complicated. Yet, for some reason, in all these grand transformation plans, the human factor often gets swept under the rug. Why? Because it’s easier to deal with things we can control—like numbers and workflows—than to dive into the chaos of human emotions, relationships, and the landmine that is office politics. But ignoring this reality is basically setting your whole transformation up for a crash-and-burn.

Let’s be honest here: people don’t fall in line just because you’ve put your brilliant plan on a PowerPoint slide. Everyone’s got their own way of thinking, their own feelings, and life dramas that you’ll never fully understand. Not to mention, the intricate web of office politics is always at play, and if you’re not factoring that into your plan, good luck.

Source: Adaptation of Image created by Mark Walsh with Integration Training

The Tangled Web We Weave

Imagine your typical office environment. Now, add in a multitude of relationships, both professional and personal, that crisscross in all directions—former colleagues who are now rivals, best friends who gossip over coffee, secret lovers who meet after hours, the person who runs the office lottery (unfairly, of course), and even the one who is secretly afraid of bribes but keeps it hidden.

Look at the org chart I’ve included; it’s a funny yet brutally honest portrayal of the complex, and sometimes chaotic, web of relationships that exist within any workplace. It’s like a soap opera, with layers of interactions that, if not acknowledged and managed, can derail the most well-planned transformation.

Let’s break down some of the very real dynamics at play:

Favorites and Resentments
Every workplace has those “golden children”—the ones whose ideas are always met with nods of approval, and they can do no wrong. These folks seem to be the go-to for everything, even if their ideas are, well, mediocre at best. And then there are the ones who feel constantly sidelined, overlooked, and ready to set the place on fire (figuratively… hopefully). These simmering undercurrents of favoritism and resentment can wreak havoc on your change efforts. The golden child can suggest, “What if we, like, did this thing?” and boom, it’s adopted without question. Meanwhile, others may just start dragging their feet, or worse, low-key sabotaging the whole thing out of sheer frustration. These dynamics might be unspoken, but they’re absolutely at play.
Secret Alliances and Rivalries
Office relationships aren’t just professional. Maybe it’s the crew that plays on the same company softball team or the group that bonds over shared religious or political beliefs. Sometimes, it’s more dramatic, like the office lovebirds sneaking off for private meetings after hours. Whatever the case, these secret ties lead to unexpected alliances that can surface when you least expect them—often right when you need people to be aligned with the transformation. Suddenly, you realize you’re dealing with an office Game of Thrones, with hidden alliances shifting the dynamics in ways you didn’t account for. On the flip side, secret rivalries (the kind where someone’s still holding a grudge from that one email sent five years ago) can bubble up and create friction just when you need smooth sailing.
Old Scores and Grudges
The longer people have worked together, the more history there is, and not all of it is pretty. Just because you have forgotten that time when Karen stole Brad’s brilliant idea and got all the credit doesn’t mean Brad has let it go. These unresolved beefs, left to simmer, have a sneaky way of influencing behavior—especially during times of change. Old scores may be settled in ways you don’t expect, whether it’s through passive-aggressive email replies or outright resistance to new initiatives. These grudges might seem petty, but in the complex web of office dynamics, they can quietly derail even the best-laid plans.
Office Politics
Ah, office politics—the never-ending game that no one admits to playing, but everyone is knee-deep in. Some employees are more concerned with maintaining their power and advancing their careers than actually contributing to the transformation. They’ll resist changes that threaten their carefully curated status, or, worse, use the opportunity to grab even more influence. Suddenly, your transformation isn’t about making the business better—it’s a power play. A study by the University of Mulawarman pinpointed some key drivers of this political behavior: unclear objectives, budget allocation battles, decision-making drama, salary and promotion discrepancies, and, of course, plain old job dissatisfaction. This political jockeying can derail a transformation effort faster than you can say “corporate restructure.”
Human Emotions
And then, there’s the glorious chaos of human emotions. Fear, jealousy, love, admiration—it’s all at play, and none of it fits neatly into your Gantt chart. Emotions don’t run on logic, and they don’t care about your transformation timeline. People might cling to the old ways of doing things out of fear of the unknown, or they might resist change because they’re jealous of the opportunities it gives someone else. And love? Well, you’d be surprised how much personal relationships can impact professional decisions. These emotions are wildcards that can throw your whole transformation into chaos if you’re not paying attention.
Personal Situations
Behind every desk, there’s a whole world of personal challenges that employees carry with them into the office. Maybe it’s a parent trying to juggle work and a sick kid, someone dealing with a spouse’s serious illness, an employee struggling with financial stress, or someone quietly battling mental health issues. These personal situations are often invisible to managers and peers, but they can have a profound impact on how someone responds to change. The ability to focus, contribute, and engage in a transformation can be deeply affected by what’s happening in their lives outside of work. And guess what? You probably won’t even know it’s happening.
Beliefs
In today’s workplace, people bring their whole selves to work, and that includes their personal beliefs—whether those are religious, political, or ethical. These beliefs can shape how employees perceive the transformation and their willingness to engage with it. For instance, someone with strong religious beliefs might have reservations about new technologies or business practices they see as ethically murky. Or, political beliefs might influence how someone views corporate policies or leadership decisions. And don’t think these conversations aren’t happening—according to a survey by Perceptyx, nearly 70% of employees have had political discussions with coworkers in the past year, and over 40% have had a political disagreement at work. These beliefs can be a source of tension, so leaders need to navigate them with sensitivity while keeping the focus on the shared goals of the transformation.

Building People into the Process: Strategies and Frameworks for Success

No matter how much we plan, we will never nail it perfectly the first time. Human beings are just too complex. So, how can we account for this in our transformation efforts? Here are some specific frameworks, models, and strategies that companies can use to incorporate the human element effectively:

Embrace Empathy with Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence (EI) Framework. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. This framework emphasizes the importance of empathy, self-awareness, and social skills in leadership. By integrating EI into your transformation strategy, leaders can better understand and address their teams' concerns, fears, and motivations. This might involve training programs to enhance emotional intelligence across the organization, helping to create a more empathetic and supportive environment.
Leverage Psychology and Philosophy with Kotter's 8-Step Change Model. John Kotter’s model is one of the most widely recognized frameworks for leading change. It provides a structured approach that takes into account the human side of change management. The first step, ‘Create a sense of urgency,’ aligns with understanding the psychological drivers behind why people resist change. Subsequent steps like ‘Build a guiding coalition’ and ‘Generate short-term wins’ help in maintaining momentum and engaging employees emotionally and mentally. This model encourages leaders to be proactive about addressing the fears and concerns of their teams throughout the transformation process.
Promote a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset Theory. Carol Dweck’s work on growth mindset suggests that people who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) have a higher potential for success. By fostering a growth mindset culture, companies can encourage employees to embrace challenges, persist through obstacles, and see failure as a learning opportunity rather than a setback. This can be especially valuable during transformation, where resistance to change is often fueled by fear of failure.
Focus on the personal aspects of change with the ADKAR model. The Prosci ADKAR Model, developed by Jeff Hiatt, outlines five key steps—Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement—necessary for successful individual change. This model emphasizes that organizational change happens through the accumulation of individual changes. By focusing on how employees experience change, ADKAR provides a simple, structured approach to identify barriers and support employees in adopting new behaviors effectively. The ADKAR model is different than Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model in that ADKAR focuses on the individual’s journey through change, emphasizing personal responsibility with steps like Awareness, Desire, and Ability. It is designed to support individuals in adopting new behaviors. In contrast, Kotter’s 8-Step Model is a broader, leadership-driven framework that focuses on creating a sense of urgency, forming a guiding coalition, and managing large-scale organizational change from the top down, before involving employees more actively.
Acknowledge Personal Lives with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). Maslow’s framework helps leaders understand the basic human needs that must be met before individuals can focus on higher-order goals like contributing to a transformation. Providing flexibility, support, and understanding around personal challenges—whether through flexible working arrangements, mental health support, or simply acknowledging and accommodating personal situations—can make a significant difference. Implementing robust EAPs that offer counseling, financial advice, and family support services can help employees manage their personal lives better, enabling them to be more present and engaged at work.