"People don't resist change. They resist being changed." — Peter Senge

There is only one thing certain in today's topsy turvy business environment and that is: Nothing is certain. Change, in fact, is the only constant these days. And if those last two sentences aren't enough to grab you, consider this: 70% of all corporate change initiatives fail.

WHY do so many corporate change initiatives fail? Because too many organizations do not understand where change originates. It's not from revamped systems or reinvented processes, but from reinvigorated and recommitted people.

Mahatma Gandhi said it best. "Be the change you want to see in the world." Gandhi understood that change – lasting change – begins with individuals developing a new perspective and working together to put that perspective into practice.

Simply put, organizations don't change. People change. However, for change to last it requires new beliefs, new behaviors, and new kinds of support that reinforce those new beliefs and behaviors. When all of this happens simultaneously, then organizational change is much more likely to last. Yes, organizational change efforts need to address systems and processes, but without the people who operate those systems and processes experiencing a change within themselves, significant change is highly unlikely.

HOW does an organization help its people and systems change? How does it impact mindset, engagement, and resilience in a way that translates to the bottom line?

By finding a dependable way to tool up a critical mass of "early adopters" to play the role of proactive change agents – curious, courageous, creative, and collaborative individuals who know how to champion new possibilities, work the system, engage commitment, and foster the kind of company culture that is conductive to sustainable innovation.

It would be great if these people grew on trees. They don't. But they do walk your hallways. Indeed, in the next 60 seconds, you could probably name at least one or two people in your company, with the "right stuff", who could take on this role.

The challenge? Figuring out how to leverage the naturally occurring abilities of your early adopters and how to expand their skillset so they have everything they need to champion real change in your organization – from the inside out.

That's where Idea Champions comes in. We know how to do this. Our Change Agent Training has been designed to accomplish this noble goal with the most amount of impact in the least amount of time. And while our approach is founded on decades of time-tested theory and research, what makes it so effective is how hands-on it is.

Seventy percent of our Change Agent Training happens on-the-job, not in a classroom or webinar. Participants work closely with their Idea Champions mentor/coach (and with each other) on real-time projects to develop the competencies and confidence they need to accelerate change efforts in a way that works.

Curious? Contact us today.
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