Embracing Change Management

Change is inevitable, yet in many organizations, it is met with resistance, hesitation, and even frustration. Employees struggle with shifting expectations, new processes, and uncertainty—it’s a leader’s responsibility to guide them through these changes effectively.

In a popular RCGNZ Summit breakout session, Kate Schwen, the CEO of leadership consulting firm Ananda Executive, spoke about change management and how to create a culture that embraces change.

So, how can you build a culture that doesn’t just tolerate change but actively embraces it?

The Challenge of Change

Change is difficult because it challenges human nature. People are wired to prefer familiarity and routine, and any shift can trigger feelings of loss or fear. Organizations that recognize this psychological response and approach change with empathy, clear communication, and aligned incentives are the ones that see the most success.

For leaders, it’s not about forcing compliance—it’s about fostering commitment. When employees buy into change, they adapt faster, innovate more, and help others along the way.

Five Common Mistakes in Change Leadership

Leaders often approach change initiatives with the best intentions, but small missteps can create significant resistance. Here are five common mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Thinking in One Dimension

Many leaders view change as a simple transition from non-compliance to compliance. However, real commitment requires more than just enforcement—it needs motivation. Employees fall into four categories when faced with change:

• Condemn – Actively resistant and influencing others negatively.
• Complain – Passively resistant, hesitant, and skeptical.
• Comply – Following new directives but not fully invested.
• Commit – Fully engaged and advocating for change.

To foster lasting change, leaders should focus on moving employees from compliance to commitment. This requires addressing their concerns, aligning incentives, and actively involving them in the process.

2. Using the Wrong Incentives

Recognition and rewards play a huge role in change adoption. However, many organizations unknowingly reward behaviors that work against their initiatives. Leaders should ask:

• Are we incentivizing behaviors that encourage change?
• Are employees given time and resources to adapt?
• Are we acknowledging short-term sacrifices for long-term benefits?

If employees feel that change only adds to their workload without any benefit, they will resist it. Aligning incentives with desired behaviors makes change adoption easier and more appealing.

3. Poor Communication

A significant reason employees resist change is that they don’t understand why it’s happening. Leaders often communicate from their own perspective—focused on business outcomes—without addressing employees' real concerns.

Executives care about bottom-line results, growth, and market positioning. Managers need tools to support their teams and ensure smooth implementation. For individual contributors, however, they want to know how change impacts their day-to-day work.

Tailoring communication to each audience, focusing on how the change benefits them directly, makes the transition smoother. Employees are more likely to embrace change when they see how it makes their jobs easier or improves their career trajectory.

4. Ignoring or Pushing Through Objections

Objections are a natural part of any change initiative. However, many leaders either dismiss concerns or argue against them—both of which increase resistance. Instead, use open communication strategies:

• Be curious. Ask why employees feel the way they do.
• Be empathetic. Acknowledge their concerns and validate their emotions.
• Be vulnerable. Share your own challenges with change.
• Co-create solutions. Involve employees in shaping the implementation process.

When employees feel heard and see their input reflected in change initiatives, they are more likely to support them.

5. Expecting Fire Without Providing Oxygen

For employees to embrace change, they need to see it modeled by leadership. Organizations that celebrate learning, normalize mistakes, and create psychological safety foster a culture where change feels natural rather than forced.

• How are mistakes handled? Are they treated as learning opportunities or failures?
• Are setbacks met with blame or problem-solving?
• Are new ideas welcomed or shut down?

When leadership actively supports an adaptable culture, employees follow suit, making change less disruptive and more sustainable.

Making Change Easier

Shifting an entire culture to embrace change doesn’t happen overnight. However, with intentional leadership, aligned incentives, and open communication, organizations can create an environment where change is not feared but welcomed.

To create a culture of change:

• Move beyond compliance—focus on commitment.
• Recognize and validate employees’ concerns and experiences.
• Align incentives with desired behaviors.
• Communicate with clarity, addressing employees' needs at every level.
• Involve employees in the change process to build ownership and engagement.
• Foster a culture where mistakes and learning are part of the journey.

Change isn’t just about new processes or strategies—it’s about people. When leaders focus on the human side of change, they turn resistance into resilience and hesitation into commitment. The result? A culture that doesn’t just accept change, but thrives because of it.

Hear more specifics from this breakout session, or watch other sessions, here.