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In 2014, the average employee experienced two major workplace changes per year. By 2024, that number skyrocketed to 14.

But here’s the real problem: only 34% of employees feel supported in navigating these changes—down from 78% just a decade ago.

This is the crisis CEOs are facing today. The pace of change is accelerating, but trust in leadership is declining. Traditional top-down change management no longer works.

In my conversation with Nellie Wartoft, CEO of Tigerhall, we explored why leaders are struggling to execute change—and what they must do differently to succeed.

The Biggest Mistake Leaders Make When Driving Change

Many CEOs believe that a great strategy and a solid execution plan are enough to transform their organization.

But here’s the truth: strategy and planning don’t drive change—people do.

🔹 The “Flavor of the Month” Effect​
Employees have seen countless transformations come and go. If leaders don’t build trust and engagement from the start, teams will disengage—assuming this change is just another temporary initiative that will fade away.

🔹 Lack of Trust in Leadership​
In many Western countries, trust in CEOs is below 50%. If employees don’t believe in their leaders, they won’t buy into their vision, no matter how well-crafted the strategy.

🔹 Command-and-Control Leadership Is Dead​
The old-school “top-down” model, where leaders dictate change and expect compliance, no longer works. Employees don’t respond to rigid directives; they follow transparent, authentic, and engaging leaders.

How CEOs Can Lead Change That Actually Sticks

✅ 1. Be Authentic and Transparent

• Employees don’t trust overly polished corporate messaging.
• Leaders who communicate openly—without scripts—build credibility.
• Drop the stiff PR-driven speeches and speak directly and honestly with your teams.

✅ 2. Involve the Right Influencers

• Change isn’t driven by leadership alone—it spreads through the organization’s most trusted voices.
• Employees are far more likely to listen to their peers and direct managers than a distant executive.
• Identify and empower key influencers across teams to drive adoption.

✅ 3. Create a Two-Way Conversation

• Most organizations push communication downwards but fail to listen.
• The best leaders create feedback loops to understand concerns in real time.
• If employees don’t feel heard, they won’t engage in the change.

✅ 4. Make Change Part of Daily Workflows

• Employees don’t have time for long emails and corporate PDFs.
• Instead, integrate change messages into their existing workflows—through tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or short-form video.
• The goal? Deliver the right information at the right time in the right format.

Final Thought: Change Isn’t a Project—It’s a Leadership Mindset

For too long, companies have treated change as a one-time event—something to be managed like a project with a start and end date.

That approach no longer works. Change is constant. And the only way to navigate it successfully is by leading with trust, transparency, and a human-first approach.

Watch the full episode here​

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Andrea Petrone

CEO Whisperer | Top 1% Executive Coach and Speaker in the UK | Founder of WCL.

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