Why Do 70% of Change Leadership Initiatives Fail? And How Do You Beat the Odds?

by Amy Pechacek

Key Takeaways:

1. Change is Emotional Before It’s Strategic - Successful change leadership begins by addressing the emotional response to disruption, not just the plan to execute it.

2. Buy-In Starts with Trust, Not Timelines - People follow leaders they trust. Engage stakeholders early and listen deeply.

3. The “Piss Off Factor” Is Real - Leaders must consider how frustrating or threatening a change might feel to their people and plan accordingly.

4. Vision Without Ownership Falls Flat - Assembling the right team and crafting a vision that inspires belief is essential to build real momentum.

5. Change That Sticks Follows a Human-Centered Framework - Alpstra’s 9-step Change Leadership model ensures that strategy, communication, and culture align, turning resistance into resilience.

---

The Often Overlooked Side of Change Leadership

A few years ago, I was asked to work with a leadership team that had recently attempted to roll out a new company initiative—but it failed.

During our initial conversations, it quickly became clear why their strategy had fallen apart. They hadn’t taken the time to research the environment, involve the right people, or map out the early planning steps of the rollout. Instead, they jumped ahead to execution.

Now they were facing something bigger than just a failed launch—they were staring down a cultural wall.

The truth was hard to ignore: the very team responsible for leading the change was resisting it.

They didn’t trust the process. Some were hesitant. Others were openly skeptical. A few even sabotaged the effort from within—whether consciously or not. And while the initiative itself was technically sound, well-funded, and aligned with company goals, it fell flat.

Why?

Because they skipped the human part of change leadership.

They failed to prepare people—even senior leaders—for the emotional journey of change.

Most change efforts start with strategy—and yes, strategy matters. But what’s often overlooked is this: change begins with disruption. And disruption always triggers emotion.

You can’t spreadsheet your way around that.

When I ask clients, “What do you feel when you hear the word change?” I don’t hear words like opportunity or growth. I hear:

Anxiety.

Exhaustion.

Confusion.

Some even say, “I brace for impact.”

That’s the real starting point—not the vision statement. Not the slide deck.

So when McKinsey tells us that 70% of change initiatives fail, it’s not because the goals weren’t smart enough.

It’s because the buy-in never happened. And buy-in doesn’t start on a Gantt chart—it starts in the gut.

The Shift: From Mandate to Momentum

Change leadership is about leading people through identity-level disruption, not managing tasks.

Successful change has less to do with logic and everything to do with alignment, empathy, and shared ownership.

Here’s what real change leaders do differently:

• They assemble change teams with credibility and chemistry—not just titles. Ask: Who has influence in the hallways, not just in the boardroom?

• They define a vision that makes people feel something. I tell clients: If your “why” doesn’t stir a room, you don’t have a vision—you have a to-do list.

• They account for the P.O.F.—the Piss Off Factor. Yes, we call it that, and no one forgets it. (I learned this term from a senior VP at Camfil, who does change well - shout to Shelly Lizyness.) Before launching anything new, ask: How much will this frustrate, scare, or destabilize our people? If you’re not planning for emotion, you’re not planning for reality.

• They build detailed plans with room to breathe. Change doesn’t follow a script. So we embed feedback loops, learning checkpoints, and course-corrections. That’s not weakness—it’s wisdom.

  
  

In our workshops, teams often realize they’re solid on vision but weak on stakeholder engagement. Or they’re strong planners but haven’t accounted for cultural alignment. The good news? Awareness is the first leadership shift. From there, you can course-correct with intention.

A Personal Lesson Regarding Change

I’ve been through change that had nothing to do with business and everything to do with identity.

After my husband died by suicide, the world didn’t just shift—it cracked open. One day I was his wife. The next, I was a widow. A single mom. A woman staring at a version of life she never asked for and couldn’t prepare for.

There was no strategy deck for that. No step-by-step playbook.

But there was grief. There was survival. And eventually… there was leadership.

I didn’t know it at the time, but that season taught me more about change leadership than any boardroom ever could.

Because real change doesn’t ask for permission. It doesn’t arrive neatly packaged with buy-in. It shatters routines, forces reflection, and exposes everything fragile underneath.

And it’s in that space—between breakdown and breakthrough—that leadership becomes real.

Change isn’t just what we lead others through. It’s what we survive, shape, and sometimes rise from.

That’s why I don’t just teach change leadership as a framework—I live it as a calling.

And I’ll never lead the same way again.

Change is not something we survive. It’s something we shape.

We don’t get to skip the messy middle. But we do get to show up differently—starting with empathy, clarity, and courageous communication.

The Change Leadership Framework

Whether you’re navigating a personal upheaval or a professional pivot, the same truth applies: people need clarity, connection, and courage to move forward. Change leadership done well is a lifeline.

That’s why we don’t leave change to chance. We lead it—on purpose, with purpose.

9 Steps That Make Change Work

At Alpstra, we’ve built a change leadership model that’s both human-centered and results-driven.

Alpstra's 9-Step Change Leadership Framework

And it works, not just because it’s strategic—but because it’s honest. Here’s how we break it down:

1. Identify the Need for Change Start by confronting the truth—where you are, what’s not working, and what’s demanding attention.

2. Assemble a Change Leadership Team Bring together the right people with the right influence, credibility, and mindset to guide the change.

3. Build the Vision and Strategy Craft a compelling, measurable vision that people can believe in—and map a strategic path to get there.

4. Engage Stakeholders for Buy-In Don’t just inform—involve. Listen deeply, communicate clearly, and win hearts before asking for hands.

5. Develop a Detailed Change Plan Turn vision into execution with timelines, roles, goals, and flexibility built in.

6. Create an Implementation Plan Lay out the steps, assign ownership, and plan for friction so you don’t freeze when it shows up.

7. Communicate the Change Effectively Use transparent, two-way, empathetic communication to guide people through uncertainty and resistance.

8. Deliver Training and Support Materials Equip every level of the organization with tools, knowledge, and encouragement to navigate change confidently.

9. Evaluate, Adapt, and Sustain Measure what matters, course-correct with humility, and celebrate the progress—not just the outcome.

Instead of forcing compliance, try fostering commitment. Acknowledging the fear without feeding it. And building a culture that doesn’t just withstand change—but learns to grow through it.

That’s what makes the difference between a rollout… and a transformation.

Are You Leading Change Effectively?

So let me ask you:

• Are you accounting for the emotions beneath the resistance?

• Are you building a team of believers—not just executors?

• Are you designing a plan with enough flexibility to handle the real world?

  
  

If you're navigating change right now—or feel one coming—this is your moment to lead it with clarity, compassion, and confidence.

Change won’t wait. But it will reward those who lead it with intention.

Let’s talk about it.

I’d love to hear how you’re approaching change in your world. Send me an email - amy@alpstra.com - and let’s shift the stats on change leadership failure.

One conversation at a time.

---

About the Author

Amy Pechacek is the founder of Alpstra, a leadership expert, keynote speaker, podcast host and change strategist known for blending emotional intelligence, strategic clarity, and hard-won wisdom.

After navigating personal tragedy and rising through the ranks of corporate leadership, Amy now equips leaders to build stronger teams, lead with authenticity, and drive change that actually sticks.

Her approach is rooted in the belief that transformation begins on the inside—because people don't just resist change, they resist being changed without being seen.

Whether working with global leadership teams, emerging managers, or individuals who are looking for something more, Amy’s work centers on one goal: helping people grow their impact, so others can grow right alongside them.

When she’s not facilitating leadership breakthroughs, you’ll find her podcasting, writing, or spending time with her granddaughter, reminding all of us that the most powerful leaders are the ones who lead from who they are.