Maintaining momentum in business transformation

If, like me, you have spent considerable time across different business transformation programmes, you will have experienced this loss of momentum.

Instead of embracing new ways of working, teams revert to old habits.

Frustration builds, progress stalls, and what was meant to be a game-changing transformation starts feeling like an uphill battle.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺:

❗𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲
– Employees disengage from project discussions, stop engaging with training,
and seem indifferent to progress.
❗𝗙𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀
– Teams feel overwhelmed by system changes and struggle to see the benefits,
leading to complaints and avoidance.
❗𝗢𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀
– Resistance turns into pushback, with teams delaying adoption,
finding workarounds, or even rejecting the new system outright.

When momentum is lost, transformation becomes a 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦 rather than a 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺.

So how do you re-energise the program and get back on track?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺:

✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 ‘𝗪𝗵𝘆’
– Revisit the transformation’s purpose and clearly communicate the long-term benefits for the business and individuals.
✅ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
– A visible, involved leadership team can reinvigorate teams and show that the change is here to stay.
✅ 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
– Listen to concerns, provide additional training, and simplify processes where possible to reduce friction.
✅ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀
– Highlight progress, recognise team contributions, and showcase success stories to rebuild confidence and motivation.
✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁
– Create internal advocates who can guide colleagues, answer questions, and reinforce positive adoption behaviours.

❔Have you experienced stalled momentum in an ERP transformation?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

What strategies have you used to turn resistance into renewed engagement?

Share your experiences in the comments, and help to drive lasting change together, re-igniting that initial wave of enthusiasm from the start of the programme