Make Change Happen: Shifting Mental Legacies for Profound Change
Photo by Åaker
In today’s services landscape, complexity and uncertainty aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the new normal. The mental models and leadership approaches that served us well for decades increasingly show their limits. Economic growth no longer serves as the sole compass for success, and the familiar ways we work strain under the weight of rapid technological, social, geopolitical, and environmental shifts.
This isn’t a call for minor tweaks or quick fixes. It’s an invitation to embark on a deeper journey with a fundamental shift in thinking, leading, and living our work. Scientists might call this a paradigm shift; I see it as rewiring the daily patterns and habits that quietly shape our daily life and leadership.
The challenge fascinates me: we can’t simply recycle yesterday’s best practices and expect tomorrow’s success. The future is unfolding before us—unpredictable, dynamic, and alive. Our path forward is to learn from it, experiment, reflect, and adapt in a continuous dance with change.
While answers remain elusive, a vision emerges—a more inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant world for all. Technology opens doors to innovate and serve in ways we’ve never imagined. So, how do we lead change that is as complex and dynamic as the world?
Why Traditional Models of Change No Longer Suffice
Traditional change management often feels like a well-rehearsed play: leadership crafts a vision, consultants design solutions, and the organization is expected to follow. Communication campaigns try to inspire buy-in, yet they rest on the assumption that past formulas will unlock future success.
But this approach frequently leads to delays, resistance, and outcomes that barely shift the status quo. Change becomes a project to be managed rather than a lived transition-something external, rather than internal.
Embracing Change as a Living, Networked Process
John Kotter’s recent insights - especially in his books Accelerate and Change - offer a fresh lens. Instead of a linear, top-down march, he proposes a dual operating system that reflects how profound change happens in complex organizations today. Four insights stand out as beacons on this journey:
Management + Leadership: Change requires both. Management anchors us with stability and structure, while leadership inspires vision and agility. Together, they create a space where reliability and innovation coexist.
Head + Heart: Logic alone won’t win change. It calls for engaging minds and stirring emotions-helping people grasp the rationale and connect with a purpose that ignites passion.
Have To + Want To: Sustainable change blossoms when people choose to engage, not just comply. When invited to contribute meaningfully, their energy and creativity become unstoppable forces.
Select Few + Diverse Many: While leadership sets direction, real momentum arises from a broad, diverse network. This collective involvement sparks learning, uncovers hidden talents, and builds a wave of change no single leader could command.
These insights remind us that profound change is as much about human connection and culture as it is about plans and processes. When we embrace them, we unlock the collective power needed to navigate uncertainty and shape the future together.
People at the Heart of Change
This shift invites us to see people differently- not as passive change recipients but as active co-creators. Traditional models often concentrate knowledge and decisions among a few, but Kotter’s approach thrives on the energy and creativity of many volunteers.
When individuals feel truly seen, heard, and valued, they bring their best ideas and commitment. They become explorers in uncertainty, questioning assumptions and crafting solutions no one could have imagined alone.
If your environment feels constraining, perhaps it’s time to seek or build one that nurtures shared behavioural leadership and collective purpose.
Stories of Change in Action
Several service providers demonstrate the power of this modern change approach:
Drechtsteden Shared Services (Netherlands) - By embracing a people-centered change process, involving employees early, and fostering transparent communication, this organization integrated multiple municipal services smoothly, improving internal collaboration and client satisfaction.
Housing First Initiatives (Various EU Cities) - Housing First programs shift the traditional homelessness paradigm by offering immediate, unconditional housing with support, emphasizing dignity and empowerment. This approach improves housing retention, health outcomes, and social inclusion. It exemplifies Kotter’s change leadership fundamentals by combining management and leadership, engaging both head and heart, fostering voluntary commitment, and mobilizing diverse stakeholders.
Odilo (Spain) - This mid-sized digital service provider transformed its organizational capabilities to scale its innovative content lending platform across Europe. Leadership prioritized agile change management, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning to respond to fast-evolving technology and customer needs. This approach enabled rapid growth while maintaining high service quality.
These stories illuminate a truth: successful change depends on collective behavioural leadership, adaptive learning, and honoring the contributions of every person.
A New Mindset for a New Era
Make Change Happen means releasing outdated mental legacies and embracing a mindset of continuous learning to the future as it unfolds. It means leading change not as a rigid project but as a vibrant, networked process fueled by purpose and people.
By weaving John Kotter’s eight accelerators into a dual operating system, service innovators can navigate uncertainty, accelerate transformation, and create lasting impact.
I'm here to help you explore these ideas further or tailor them to your unique journey. Change is complex, but it's also profoundly possible with curiosity, compassion, and the right mindset.
If you want to explore these ideas further or tailor them to your context, I’m here to help. Change is complex, but it's achievable with the right mindset and tools