Why Smart Companies Still Can't Get People to Change
Episode notes
Why do well-funded, well-planned change initiatives keep failing — not because of bad technology, but because of something far more human?
If you've ever watched a major rollout quietly die six months after the branded cupcake launch party, this episode is for you.
In this deep dive discussion, two hosts unpack the source article Why Smart Companies Still Can't Get People to Change — exploring why organizational transformation succeeds or fails at the individual level. The conversation covers Prosci's ADKAR model as a diagnostic tool for pinpointing exactly where and why individuals stall, Kotter's eight-step process as a momentum and mobilization strategy, and the Prosci Change Triangle — the three-legged stool that explains why technically perfect projects still collapse. The hosts work through a real-world AI adoption case study featuring a senior copywriter named Dave, whose resistance illustrates every barrier point in vivid detail. Five actionable steps for both leaders and individual contributors are woven throughout, and practical resources are linked in the show notes below.
Have thoughts on your own change initiative — what worked, what didn't, or which leg of the stool was missing?
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE
- Understand why organizations don't actually change — only individuals do — and what that means for every initiative you lead
- Diagnose exactly where a resistant employee is stuck using Prosci's five-stage ADKAR model
- Distinguish between false urgency and true urgency, and why getting that wrong poisons your team before the project even starts
- Apply Kotter's "molecules of results" principle to generate short-term wins that silence cynics and sustain momentum
- Combine both frameworks strategically so Kotter moves the ship while Prosci makes sure the crew knows how to sail
EPISODE RESOURCES
- READ THE FULL ARTICLE: The source material discussed in this episode — Why Smart Companies Still Can't Get People to Change
- PROSCI ADKAR MODEL: The individual-level diagnostic framework for change adoption covered in depth in this episode. Link: prosci.com/methodology/adkar
- KOTTER'S 8-STEP PROCESS: Dr. John Kotter's foundational research on leading organizational change — the macro-level framework discussed alongside ADKAR. Link: kotterinc.com/methodology/8-steps
- IDEA EXPRESS NEWSLETTER: Weekly insights on leadership, business, and professional growth. Link: linkedin.com/newsletters/7078548698674196480
- CONNECT WITH K.C. ON MEDIUM: medium.com/@kcbarr
New episodes weekly — 15 to 30 minutes, always worth the deeper look.