Embracing the Enormity of Change: A Revolutionary Approach to Management
One phrase completely reshaped how I approach change management: “Be afraid of the enormity of the possible.”
At first, it felt contradictory. Why be afraid of possibility? Over time I realised it is not about fear but about respecting the vast potential that change brings. That insight shifted my leadership style and helped me see change as something to be welcomed, not resisted.
In today’s fast-moving business world, change is more than constant; it is expansive. Leaders who recognise the scale of opportunity and prepare their teams to embrace it create cultures where innovation and resilience thrive. Each setback becomes a chance to learn, and every ambitious idea has the potential to transform an organisation.
The enormity of the possible is not a reason to hold back. It is an invitation to step forward with courage, clarity, and trust in the people around you.
Learning Styles: We All Learn Differently
People learn in different ways. Some prefer visual content, others respond better to sound or hands-on practice. Many use a mix of styles depending on mood, interest, or workload. When training programs ignore these differences, learning suffers.
Effective training begins with understanding the audience. This means asking how learners prefer to access information, how much time they can commit, and how motivated they are to engage with the subject. A Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is invaluable here. It identifies specific skills gaps, aligns goals with outcomes, and ensures resources are directed where they make the biggest impact. Adding personas into the process makes training even more targeted by creating detailed profiles of learner groups, helping trainers empathise with their needs and design personalised learning paths.
Digital tools provide another layer of flexibility. Interactive e-books, multimedia presentations, and video conferencing platforms combine text, images, and sound to accommodate different learning styles at once. For frontline or remote workers, simple paper guides with step-by-step visuals may be the most effective solution.
When training is personalised, adoption rates rise, outcomes improve, and learners feel valued. Recognising diverse learning styles is not only about inclusivity, it is about creating programs that connect with people in meaningful ways and ensure education leads to lasting growth and change.
High performing – what does it actually mean?
High performance is a term often used at work, but what does it really mean? For many, it feels like juggling endless balls in the air — projects, deadlines, meetings, and life outside of work. But being high-performing is not about being superhuman or doing everything without pause.
It is more than multitasking or hitting every goal. True high performance combines consistency, adaptability, and impact. It is about setting the right goals, delivering quality work reliably, and focusing on outcomes that matter. It means excelling in your role while continuously learning and improving, but also knowing when to rest, delegate, or say no.
High-performing individuals balance resilience and growth with collaboration and gratitude. They recognise that self-care and teamwork are as critical as personal excellence. By recharging and supporting others, they create stronger, more sustainable performance.
In the end, high performance is not perfection. It is showing up with intent, giving your best, and making a meaningful difference at work, at home, and within your community.
How to Choose the Right Change Management Methodology
Organisational change is rarely simple, which is why a wide range of methodologies exist to provide structure and guidance. Each has strengths and limitations. ADKAR focuses on individuals, Kotter’s 8-Step model offers a clear roadmap, Lewin’s three-step model is simple but static, and McKinsey’s 7-S provides a holistic but complex view. Others, such as Bridges’ Transition Model or the Kübler-Ross Change Curve, highlight the human side of change, while iterative approaches like PDSA encourage continuous improvement.
The challenge for leaders is deciding which approach to use. In reality, no single methodology fits every situation. At Enable Change Partners, we design tailored strategies by blending the most relevant elements from different models. This ensures that both organisational needs and individual experiences are addressed, improving adoption rates and building internal capability.
For example, in a digital transformation with a multinational client, we combined Kotter’s urgency, ADKAR’s focus on individuals, and Prosci’s structured approach. This mix created a strategy that achieved 95% adoption of new systems within six months, far above expectations.
Customising methodologies in this way helps organisations move beyond theory to practical outcomes, delivering transformation that is both effective and sustainable.
Case Study: Successful Implementation of A Workforce Management System
A large Australian service company with more than 1,500 frontline staff had struggled for years to implement a workforce management system. Previous attempts failed due to union resistance, lack of leadership alignment, and change fatigue.
This time, the organisation took a new approach by investing in professional support and prioritising stakeholder engagement. Unions were involved from the outset, with frameworks co-designed to align with enterprise agreements. A detailed change impact assessment identified risks and informed mitigation strategies.
Communication was central, highlighting clear benefits for frontline workers such as easier shift swaps and better work-life balance. A pilot program allowed the company to test and refine the system before rolling it out more broadly. Training was customised by role and delivered through multiple formats, supported by a network of change champions who built trust at the grassroots level.
Implementation was phased, giving each site time to adapt, while executive sponsors demonstrated visible commitment through site visits, Q&A sessions, and town halls. This comprehensive approach reduced resistance, improved adoption, and fostered stronger collaboration between management, unions, and frontline employees.
The result was not just a successful system launch, but a cultural shift in how change was approached. By engaging people early, communicating openly, and maintaining flexibility, the organisation overcame years of setbacks and set a positive precedent for future transformations.
What would it be if you could only choose one tool from your kit?
A change impact assessment is a vital tool for managing organisational transformation, giving teams a clear understanding of how change will affect people, processes, and systems. It maps the journey from the current state to the future state, helping to identify risks, allocate resources, set realistic timelines, and create strategies that address specific needs. Flexible in design, it can provide either a high-level overview or a detailed analysis of stakeholder groups, depending on project requirements. The insights gained guide communication, engagement, training, and support, while also helping program teams, technical teams, test managers, and leaders prepare effectively. Completing a strong assessment involves defining the scope, identifying stakeholders, gathering data, analysing gaps, assessing impact, and recommending actions, ensuring that every area of the organisation is aligned. Because change evolves over time, the assessment should be revisited throughout the project, serving as a practical compass that keeps everyone moving in the same direction.
Why Change Managers Are a Program Manager’s Secret Weapon
Program and change managers form a powerful partnership that ensures both the technical and human sides of transformation are addressed. While program managers focus on delivering projects on time, within budget, and against technical requirements, change managers concentrate on preparing people for the journey by driving adoption, building engagement, and ensuring benefits are realised. Change managers bring essential tools such as stakeholder analysis, impact assessments, tailored communication, training programs, and executive coaching, freeing program managers to manage resources, budgets, milestones, and reporting. Together, they balance distinct responsibilities with shared goals, reducing risks and increasing the likelihood of success—projects with strong change management are six times more likely to meet objectives. Real-world examples, from major tech rollouts to large-scale restructures, show how this collaboration transforms challenges into opportunities and ensures sustainable outcomes. When program managers and change managers work hand in hand, they not only deliver systems and structures but also enable lasting organisational change, making the partnership not optional but essential for success.
Demystifying the Role of Change Manager: More Than Just “Managing Change”
Change managers play a vital role in turning business strategies into real outcomes by supporting the people who make change possible. We act as bridge builders between vision and execution, translating strategy into practical steps employees can embrace. As advocates, we ensure staff voices are heard and needs are considered, while also negotiating between competing priorities to keep transitions smooth. We provide a reliable support system through the challenges of change, mitigate risks by anticipating obstacles, and help shape culture to sustain new ways of working. By boosting efficiency and adoption, we make transformations more effective and ensure benefits are realised faster. In short, change managers are strategists, communicators, and problem-solvers who guide organisations through the complexities of evolution—facilitating not just change, but lasting transformation.
Leading Australian Building Material Giant’s Tech Overhaul
A leading Australian building materials company successfully transitioned over 7,000 employees across 300 sites from Microsoft to Google in just 18 months by investing in a tailored change management process. Despite challenges such as diverse tech skills, a scattered workforce, varied departmental needs, and an initial underestimation of the change’s impact, the organisation overcame these hurdles with a people-first approach. Leaders engaged directly with staff to understand concerns, co-created an inclusive and empathetic change plan, secured executive buy-in, and built a network of “change champions” to deliver peer-led training and on-the-ground support, particularly for remote sites. The rollout was customised to each team, with practical adjustments—like moving the Gmail icon to replace Outlook shortcuts—helping employees adapt more smoothly. The results were significant: 85% adoption within six months, stronger cross-department collaboration, higher staff satisfaction, reduced IT costs, minimal downtime, and increased remote work productivity. This case demonstrates that knowing your workforce, growing internal champions, tailoring solutions, and providing hands-on support are critical to making large-scale digital transformations successful, even with limited resources.
Even traditional industries can successfully adopt digital transformation
Digital transformation often feels like a step too far, especially in industries built on tradition. Yet even in conservative sectors such as funeral services, change is not only possible but necessary when approached in the right way.
One funeral provider began by listening closely to frontline staff. By taking the time to understand daily pressures and concerns, the organisation built trust and reduced resistance. Instead of forcing change all at once, they tested new digital tools in smaller groups. A scheduling app, introduced on both desktop and mobile, replaced manual, paper-based processes with a simpler and more reliable system.
Support came from within. Change champions offered peer-to-peer training and encouragement, helping colleagues gain confidence and adopt the new approach. Flexibility also played a role. Employees could choose between company-managed devices or bring their own with an allowance, which made the transition smoother and respected personal preferences.
Throughout the process, the organisation never lost sight of its purpose: supporting grieving families. This focus reassured both staff and clients, reinforcing that the transformation was there to improve service rather than disrupt it. The result was higher adoption rates, stronger efficiency, and greater confidence in the care provided.
This case highlights that digital transformation works best when people’s needs come first, when change is introduced gradually, and when the purpose behind the change is clear.