10/02/2025

Change Management

Avoid the hero trap

The amount of coming at leaders right now may feel unprecedented, given today’s political and technical landscape. But amid significant disruptions, such as artificial intelligence tools, deep-tech innovations, novel fintech platforms and geopolitical shifts, an organization’s capacity to grow depends on its capacity to change constantly.

Success also depends on your capability to lead that constant change. New processes need to be designed. New departments need to be formed. New products need to be developed. New markets need to be entered. Then, as you scale the organization, these new processes, departments, products and markets need to be revised, restructured and revisited: Wash, rinse, repeat. Within our exponentially volatile world, organizational growth is a constant challenge and, in turn, leading change is a critical leadership competency to answer this challenge. However, too many change efforts still fail.

Why is leading change so hard at times of growth? Many leaders bemoan employee resistance and hidden stakeholder agendas as key factors. While these can be significant factors, I don’t think blame can be pointed only at the employees and stakeholders. The truth is actually quite the opposite.

Please select this link to read the complete article from MIT Sloan Management Review.