ChangeEffect Model: your guide to successful change

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changeeffect model with text and title

Research by McKinsey shows that 70% of transformations fail. As a senior leader implementing an important organisational change, you already know the stakes are high.

And like many senior leaders, you may worry whether your change is set up for success.

After two decades working with government, health, and large organisations, I’ve seen what makes some changes struggle and others succeed. 

The changes that succeed aren’t luck. Leaders get three things right:

  • Vision: They define and share a clear future state that people understand. This is the destination.
  • Pressure: They build a compelling case for change, backed by strong leadership. This drives people to achieve the Vision.
  • Plan: They create structured and effective plans to move from the current state to the future state. This maps out the route.

And so the ChangeEffect Model was born. It simplifies the complexity of change into three essential elements: Vision, Pressure, and Plan. 

I created it to make it easier for leaders to set up their change for success. It helps organisations to identify and close important gaps in their change programs—leading to smoother implementations, higher adoption, and greater benefits realisation. 

Let me explain the model.

VISION: A future state that is clear and understood

A great Vision unites your people behind a clear picture of the future state. When everyone can see and get excited about the same destination, you are more likely to reach that destination. 

Why VISION is important

  • It creates a shared understanding of where you’re headed.
  • It gets everyone working towards the same future goal.
  • It inspires and gets people excited.
  • It reduces uncertainty and resistance.
  • It provides a guide for making tough decisions.
  • It helps you stay accountable and track progress.

What good VISION looks like

  • Vision statement: A change Vision that’s clear, inspiring, measurable, achievable, and aligned with the organisation’s direction.
  • Detailed future state: Specific details of the future state for people, processes, and systems.
  • Shared: Everyone understands the Vision and what will be different when it’s achieved.

PRESSURE: A compelling case for change and strong leadership

For change to succeed, people need to be motivated to get on board. You need Pressure. The right kind of Pressure keeps things moving, helps people see why the change is necessary, and builds commitment. 

Why PRESSURE is important

  • It shows people why the status quo can’t continue.
  • It explains how real problems will be resolved.
  • It creates urgency and the motivation to change.
  • It drives the change forward, creating and maintaining momentum.
  • It holds individuals accountable for their role in the change.
  • It keeps teams focused and moving in the right direction.

If you start with one element from the ChangeEffect Model, make it this one. Pressure can drive the creation of a Vision and a Plan to deliver it. 

What good PRESSURE looks like

  • Compelling case for change: People understand why the change is needed, the problems it will solve, and the tangible benefits.
  • Strong leadership: Senior leaders own and drive the change, actively sponsor it, and lead by example.
  • Governance: Effective structures guide the change, involve the right people, and support sound decision-making.
  • Common commitment: There’s buy-in from all levels of the organisation and strong bottom-up demand.
  • Measures: Indicators track progress and success, with regular assessments to guide priorities and actions.

PLAN: Structured plans to move from the current state to the future state 

With Vision and Pressure in place, Plan provides the structured approaches that guide you from the current state to the future state. It turns your Vision into action, keeps everything on track, ensures people are ready and supported, and minimises disruption. 

The Plan element ensures the change progresses smoothly and is implemented successfully.

Why PLAN is important

  • It provides a roadmap to the future state.
  • It keeps the change on track.
  • It aligns resources, activities, and people.
  • It minimises risk, uncertainty, and disruption.
  • It ensures everyone knows what’s changing and their role in the change.
  • It ensures people are willing, ready, and able to adopt the change.

What good PLAN looks like

  • Clear steps and rollout: Everyone understands the steps to move to the future state, with a thoughtful rollout that minimises disruption.
  • Resourced: The right people, time, and budget are allocated, with clear roles and responsibilities ensuring accountability. 
  • Capability: People have the knowledge and skills needed to implement and adopt the change.
  • Strong project management: Schedules, budgets, and risks are effectively managed throughout. 
  • Communication and engagement: People understand what’s happening, why it matters, and are appropriately involved and informed.
  • Business readiness and embedding: Structured approaches manage business impacts, enable business readiness, integrate the change into ongoing operations, and reinforce the change for long-term success.

Making it work: how to use the ChangeEffect Model

Put the ChangeEffect Model into action with these practical tools and resources:

  • Free checklist: Download our free checklist to guide you in creating excellent Vision, Pressure, and Plan.
  • ChangeEffect Assessment: Want confidence that your change is set up for success? Book this assessment, based on the ChangeEffect Model, and receive a score, detailed findings, and tailored recommendations. 
  • ChangeEffect Toolkit: Express your interest in being a beta partner—with templates, tools, and activity guides it’s a playbook for managing successful change.

These resources will help you to assess your change and take action to set it up for success. 

Contact us or book a discovery call to learn more.

Our model: your success

The ChangeEffect Model is your go-to guide for successful change. By having a clear and shared Vision, building and maintaining the right Pressure, and creating a solid Plan, you can be confident that your change is set up for success.

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Because how you make change matters. It matters to your people, it matters to your customers, and it matters to your bottom line.

And it matters to us at ChangeEffect.

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Written by Carly Marriner