Why I Don’t Do Change Management
Please don’t hire me to do change management — at least not the way most organisations approach it. I offer something different: a coaching-led way to support people through change that complements traditional change management strategies.
I’m not a transformation specialist or a change manager in the conventional sense. It’s not that I couldn’t do that work — it’s just that most change programmes focus heavily on the “Why,” the “What,” and the “How,” while giving very little thought to the “Who.”
It’s not that people are forgotten.
It’s that they’re forgotten as people.
Now don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for well structured frameworks and best practice.
Sadly, all too often it is assumed that those best practices will somehow magically lead to a smooth transition, and if they don’t it’s due to push back from employees, or a mistake in messaging, or programming. Usually it’s none of those things. Usually it’s just that the organisation forgot to deal with the people impacted as people.
It’s easy to throw charts up on the wall, subdivide workstreams, categorise “Early Adopters” and “Laggards”, but it’s also easy to invest the time in supporting the people most deeply impacted by the change as humans, not stereotypes.
I’ve seen plenty of change programmes succeed and fail — and they’ve all taught me one thing...
People just want to know they are going to be ok.
They want to know:
- What this means for me and my career?
- Will I be able to succeed with this new system/structure/strategy?
- Will my colleagues still be here in six months’ time?
- What is coming next?
It’s really that simple. Yes, you can present the vision to them, tell them about all the benefits of the new “normal”. You can provide training. You can bombard employees with communications. You can even paint a compelling picture of the future and hope they see it the way the organisation does.
But what people really want — what they truly need — is something else.
They need someone to support them through the uncertainty.
Someone to help them feel confident, not confused.
This is where coaching for change management comes in.
It’s not about more information — it’s about people-focused support that helps your team move forward without fear or resistance.
That sense of emotional safety and clarity? It all links back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — something I’ll explore in more detail in another post.
Coaching for Change Management: The Human Piece of the Puzzle
This is why I believe working with a leadership and team coach especially one with experience in change, can really support your change programme. Well structured coaching programmes can help employees understand their own thought processes around change, and help them come up with their own strategies and solutions that will support your overall objective! It can also help surface the real reasons behind their anxieties, which may have nothing to do with your change programme.Bringing coaching into your change programme doesn’t just support individuals — it strengthens the whole system. It helps leaders communicate with empathy and clarity. It gives teams space to process change, build resilience, and stay aligned with your vision. And it creates a culture where people feel seen, heard, and equipped to contribute — not just comply. Coaching adds the human depth that most change management frameworks miss.
Bringing coaching into your change programme doesn’t just support individuals — it strengthens the whole system. It helps leaders communicate with empathy and clarity. It gives teams space to process change, build resilience, and stay aligned with your vision. And it creates a culture where people feel seen, heard, and equipped to contribute — not just comply. Coaching adds the human depth that most change management frameworks miss.
Transformation is never just a strategy shift — it’s a human one. If you want to support your people through real, lasting change, drop me a line. I’d love to help.