How to save $11 trillion a year.

Resistance to change among employees is far and away the most common reason that most major transformation initiatives fail. That's costing companies a lot of money.

Global companies spent a record $5.9 trillion on acquisitions in 2021. Up to 90% of M&A deals are unsuccessful. That’s up to $5.3 trillion. Wasted.

Spend on enterprise application software was $675 billion just in the U.S . Over 70% of these projects fail to hit targets. That’s $472.5 billion. Wasted.

Then there’s $4.7 trillion lost from shoddy customer experience, largely due to grumpy, disenfranchised employees.

And there are the monumental productivity losses every year from the 67% of disengaged employees (up to $550 billion just in the US.).

Adding all these figures together, that’s over $11 trillion wasted. Just in the US. That’s almost the entire national debt for the U.S.

And all because companies continue forcing change on their employees instead of working with them. Every badly-handled change initiative makes employees more disengaged, more resistant. Another nail is hammered into the organisational coffin.

It’s easy to get change wrong. The good news is that everything you need to get it right is already there inside your company. You’re just not looking in the right place.

Find The Secret Agents

The most successful projects are driven by the rare and valuable people we call change agents. The trick is to find them and harness their energy, passion, and influence to minimise resistance and increase the odds of success.

But what are these strange creatures? How does one spot them in the chaos of a company crossing the chasm of change?

At beep we use a method called change mapping. It’s a way of surfacing the web of influence that underpins every complex organisation.

We talk to people across different functions and levels to see how they feel about the proposed change. We understand how it will affect them.

At the end of each conversation, we ask who else we should talk to. Who do they ask when they need to know something? Who do they go to when they need to get something done quick t in the complexity of a process-bound company?

Peer referrals allow us to grow a network of trust. Eventually, it becomes possible to understand the informal social meshes of influence bubbling beneath the surface.

The most successful projects keep exploring until you’ve discovered change agents in enough parts of the company to understand how their spheres of influence overlap.

Don't Skimp. There's a lot to lose.

Figure out who will be most affected by the transformation programme you’re about to launch, These are the maximun points of resistance. Target the change agents in these brands, departments, regions.

Communicate clearly. Don’t mandate, Invite the change agents to be involved. Ask for their help. Change agents are usually keen to help and delighted their skills have been recognised. We like to be respected and feel needed.

But allowed then to opt in. Their energy will wane if they feel you are asking them to be a mouthpiece for management.

Respect and harness their experience and knowledge. Co-create solutions with them.

Bring them together in dynamic design events.

Not only does inviting multiple perspectives and experience into the design process generate stronger solutions, if the format and casting are right, your change agents will leave energised, excited. They’ll share their excitment with their peers. They will do the communications for you … and help to overcome scepticism and resistance

Once you have connected them, make sure you maintain the buzz. Provide platforms where they can get to know each other and support each other; online platforms are useful, but nothing replaces regular face-to-face contact. Don’t skimp. There’s a lot to lose.

Progress, Not Politics

Don’t make the mistake of choosing your favourite and giving them the “Change Agent” title. Good managers or leaders are not necessarily change agents.

From my experience, influencer networks have very little to do with the company org chart. Climbing the career ladder does not correlate with being a change agent. Change agents are are more interested in getting things done than politics.

This rare breed are honest, authentic, and trustworthy. They are approachable, empathetic, reliable, supportive, collaborative. They go out of their way to reach out and connect.

Change agents are believers. Dreamers that do. Storytellers. People who are passionate about making things better. Their passion is contagious. They have vertical and horizontal connections, affording as much respect to an intern as to a C-level leader.

They are driven, persuasive. They sometimes trust their gut and ignore corporate policy, preferring to ask forgiveness than permission.

Be a Listen and Learn Leader

These stars can only shine in an environment where people are encouraged, to connect.

Senior leadership have to really buy in to grassroots empowerment and must invest at the right level to harness their power. The most successful leaders listen, discover, and reward the best employee-led initiatives and replicate them elsewhere.

All too often, “command and control” leaders become intimidated by the influence of change agents. They stand in their way, try to silence them, or, even worse, banish them in an attempt to regain power. This strategy sends a shock wave of malaise across the company.

Be a CREATE leader. Find your change agents and nurture them. Learn to harness their monumental energy. When there is so much to lose, people-powered transformation can help you win.