I once watched a skilled and committed leader take on the responsibility for a major transformation. The ambition was high but unfortunately the support was missing. Management gave little clarity, digital tools offered little help, and there was no forum for collegial support. This happens in many organizations. Real progress begins when everyone is involved and learning together. This article shows what that looks like in practice and what it could mean for your organization.
A mentor of mine recently took on the main responsibility for a major transformation in a unit at a large company. The focus was a broad improvement initiative that touched several of the company’s business areas. My mentor is highly skilled and committed but was left to handle the change work entirely on their own. To make things even harder, a reorganization started at the same time.
Management wasn’t clearly on board, digital support was weak, and there were no forums with colleagues to lean on. The result was predictable, when engagement faded, the transformation lost its momentum, and one person was left carrying the entire burden.
Change without support from systems, leadership, and structure can never be sustainable. Everything depends on one person’s energy, and when that runs out, the entire initiative collapses.
Transformation isn’t a solo act. It’s a team sport. To succeed, you need the same map, the same language, and the same method for moving forward.
Involvement Becomes the Norm
One client who worked with the Hups approach for just over a year shows what happens when it is done differently. Instead of relying on one person, the method focuses on training both leaders and internal experts and giving them tools to involve their teams in everyday learning. In this case, several internal experts were involved alongside the leaders, creating a shared drive for improvement that spread through the whole organization.
When both experts and leaders engage, you build an environment where learning and growth is the norm, not the exception. Or as James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, puts it:
“Join a culture where your desired behavior is the normal behavior.”
If you want to change behaviors, you must create an environment that makes it possible. This is why we focus on helping organizations build that environment without people having to change jobs. But it requires that both leaders and experts are trained and equipped with tools to involve their teams in a simple and scalable way.
A Clear Framework That Lets You Drive the Change
When we say that we help organizations scale transformation, that never means we do the work for them. Our clients know their business best. Our role is to bring structure, tools, and support so development keeps moving forward.
Here’s how we work:
- Digital structure – Our digital transformation platform (TMS) provides the framework and creates clarity and follow-up in small, manageable steps.
- Leadership alignment – The change is built into the operations strategy and becomes a natural part of daily work.
- Practical training – We train internal experts and leaders, who then train and support their teams.
When everyone pulls in the same direction, learning stops being a side activity and becomes a natural part of the culture.
Progress Builds Pride, Pride Builds Progress
When I follow up with clients, I often notice a new sense of pride. Leaders and experts grow in their roles. Colleagues actively turn to them for support and ideas. The pace of change accelerates.
This is how you build organizations that own their own development. The outcome is not only better flow every day but a culture of continuous learning.
Curious about what this could mean for your organization
Every organization faces its own challenges with transformation. If this article raised ideas or questions, I’d be glad to discuss them with you and share more insights from my work in operational excellence. And if you’d like to see how digital support can make that easier, you’re welcome to take a closer look at our transformation platform.
