Change is hard.
Sometimes it’s unavoidable in life and organizations. Take remote work: not long ago, many companies dismissed it outright. Today, they are drafting work-from-home policies they never thought they would need.
Change will happen with or without us. The real question is: what makes it last?
First, we need to understand that two distinct processes are at stake: the change process and the transition.
In the example above, the change process can include acquiring a laptop, working flexible hours to care for children, and setting up proper communication tools.
The transition, on the other hand, is about accepting and leveraging the new situation. Here, it means letting go of old habits and finding ways to adapt, such as going for a walk in the morning, eating at fixed times, or anything else that suits you.
While change can be imposed, the transition is a personal journey, and we all go through it differently. These two processes have separate lifecycles and often involve different actors. Yet, they’re deeply connected: a well-managed change can ease the transition, and a smooth transition makes the change sustainable. For instance, access to the right resources and clear, practical guidelines around flexible work can make a big difference in how people adapt. Conversely, supporting people’s well-being in the new context is crucial to making the change last.
As a change agent, your role is to help people through that transition. Organizations often overlook this, and when they do, change efforts falter. For meaningful and lasting transformation, you need to ensure that everyone completes their transition, not just implements the formal change.
The Takeaway
Lasting change is the product of two interconnected processes: the change, which is shared across the organization, and the transition, which is unique to each person. Long-term success requires carrying both through.