This article was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2025 to keep our readers up-to-date with the latest in organisational performance and team dynamics.
Change is hard. Just ask Netflix’s DVD rental service, DVD.com, which shut down in 2023 after 25 years. While Netflix successfully pivoted to streaming, its DVD-by-mail business saw a steady decline as consumer habits shifted.
Or WeWork, which filed for bankruptcy in 2023 after an unsustainable business model and leadership failures derailed its rapid expansion. These companies, once industry leaders, struggled with change at critical moments—and paid the price.
Research shows that 70% of business transformations still fail. Despite this, the ability to evolve has never been more important. In an era of agile and change management, businesses must be able to adapt quickly to emerging technologies, shifting market demands, and workforce expectations. Those that succeed gain a competitive edge—those that don’t risk becoming obsolete.
But poorly managed organisational change can lead to serious setbacks—declining employee morale, loss of trust in leadership, increased staff turnover, and wasted resources. At its worst, ineffective change management plans can drive even the most successful businesses into financial ruin.
So, in a world where agile change management is essential but also fraught with risk, how can leaders improve their chances of success?
According to change management thought leader and author of Leading Change, John Kotter,
“The central issue for business is never strategy, structure, culture or systems. The core of the matter is always about changing the behaviour of people.”
In other words, the challenge isn’t just about what needs to change—it’s about how the change is managed. A structured, people-centric agile change management plan can determine whether transformation leads to growth or failure.
Why do people resist being changed?
In essence, it all comes down to mindset.
Resistance to change comes down to a deeply ingrained set of beliefs shaped by experience, habits, and environment. Over time, these beliefs become automatic, making them hard to shift—even when presented with new information.
This is why organisational change often meets resistance. People don’t push back because they dislike progress—they resist because change challenges what they know and trust. Ever tried convincing an iPhone user to switch to Android? It’s not just about the phone; it’s about habit, loyalty, and belief systems.
In business, this fixed mindset can prevent companies from adapting to market shifts, improving processes, or driving innovation. Without the right approach, even the best agile change management plan can fail.
If mindset is the root of resistance, then understanding how people think is the key to overcoming it. This is where agile and change management come together—ensuring transformation feels relevant, necessary, and achievable.
How to understand and alter mindsets to facilitate change
If someone is stuck in their mindset, facts alone won’t work. To break through the mindset barrier you need to look at how your employees’ minds work. This is where Whole Brain® Thinking and agile thinking come into play.
The Whole Brain® Thinking model provides a framework for looking at different mindsets and determining how each of the four mindsets deal with change.
The four-colour, four-quadrant graphic and Whole Brain® are trademarks of Herrmann Global © 2019
For example:
- Those in the A quadrant may want to approach change logically but could be uncomfortable with the unknown
- Those in the B quadrant may require a clear plan, but could feel a lack of security and be uncomfortable with new approaches
- Those in the C quadrant may prefer to engage in conversation about the change, but could be highly emotional and may tune out the details
- Those in the D quadrant may react spontaneously and not be too worried about the details at first, but could worry about their loss of freedom of choice
Leaders managing change will most likely encounter a variety of different mindsets. The key to successfully implementing change is recognising, understanding and engaging with each mindset, and ensuring you’re speaking to each mindset in a language that they understand. This is the essence of inclusive leadership.
Agile thinking, or the ability to switch between thinking styles based on the situation at hand, gives you the ability to look at the change process from all the different angles – so you can empathise and understand why the employees in quadrant A need to know the facts and financial consequences of change, and why those in quadrant C need to talk about the impact the change will have on their team. You can then address those needs to get people on board with the business change.
Download our free agile change management plan to implement change in your workplace
Managing change in the workplace isn’t just about processes—it’s about people. This template uses agile change management principles and Whole Brain® Thinking to make it easier for teams to adapt, stay engaged, and work together towards a successful transition. Download our Change Management template to learn how to drive change in your business.
What’s next?
If you’re implementing change in your business, the key to success is better engaging your employees in the change process, taking into account their individual mindsets. For this, you need to be an agile thinker and an inclusive leader.
Download our Change Management whitepaper to learn how to appreciate, understand and communicate with different mindsets to get them on board with change.
Frequently asked questions about agile change management and workplace transformation
1. What is agile change management, and why is it important?
Agile change management is a flexible approach to implementing change in an organisation. Instead of rigid, top-down processes, it allows businesses to adapt quickly, gather feedback, and adjust strategies in real-time. This helps teams reduce resistance, improve engagement, and make change more sustainable.
2. How does Whole Brain® Thinking support change management?
Whole Brain® Thinking helps leaders understand that employees process change differently. Some need data and logic, others want a clear plan, some focus on team impact, and others look at big-picture strategy. By recognising and addressing these different thinking styles, leaders can communicate more effectively and reduce resistance to change.
3. What are the biggest reasons workplace change fails?
Workplace change often fails due to poor communication, lack of leadership alignment, employee resistance, and unclear objectives. Without a clear agile change management plan, businesses risk low engagement, productivity loss, and failed transformations.
4. How can leaders use agile thinking to manage change more effectively?
Leaders who use agile thinking can switch between different perspectives, making it easier to anticipate challenges, understand employee concerns, and adjust strategies on the go. This approach ensures that change is not only planned but also adopted successfully.
