Business transformation is one of the toughest challenges leaders face. Often, the issue isn’t the technology, methodology, or even funding; it’s people. Fear, leadership approach, and lack of purpose can undermine even the best-designed transformation programs.
Many studies validate this and indicate 50% of change initiatives fail to stick long-term.
Drawing on her 20+ years of transformation leadership, Ana Cavagnoli, Director of Customer Engagement at HID Global, shares a practical 9-step framework that leaders across industries can apply. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making business transformation sustainable:
1. Business Transformation Starts with Leadership Style
Transformation isn’t about being the star, it’s about being the orchestrator. Ana emphasises adopting transformational leadership, a humble, empowering style that inspires improvement and creates psychological safety.
“In order for you to be a change agent, the element of leadership you need to have is what we call transformational leadership. That drives continuous improvement.” — Ana Cavagnoli, Director of Customer Engagement at HID Global
Lesson: Position yourself as an enabler, not the hero. Recognition should flow to the team, not the leader.
2. Address the Real Barrier: Fear
While bureaucracy and communication breakdowns are often seen as roadblocks, fear is the root cause of resistance. Fear of job loss, failure, or the unknown is the biggest reason change initiatives don’t deliver. By recognising and addressing these fears directly, leaders can reduce resistance and build trust.
Lesson: Tailor communication to address unspoken fears directly, not just surface-level objections.
3. Anchor Change in Purpose
Ana stresses that transformation needs a clear “big why.” When leaders anchor change in purpose—linking it to both business goals and employee values—teams feel ownership and belonging. She cautions that a plan should never be about the leader; it must be about the people who will live the change.
“What is the big why behind your transformation? You need to make sure your transformational plan is not about you, it’s about them.” — Ana Cavagnoli
Lesson: Move beyond motivational slogans. Connect change to tangible outcomes.Shape
4. Communicate Beyond Words
Most communication is nonverbal. Ana asserts that leaders must be mindful of tone, body language, and energy, not just words.
“Only 7% of your communication comes from words. 55% comes from your body language and 38% from your tone of voice.” — Ana Cavagnoli
Lesson: Move away from email-only updates. Use in-person presence, storytelling, and visuals (current vs. future state) to drive impact.
5. Show the Gaps and Opportunities
To inspire action, leaders must make the case for change tangible, highlighting inefficiencies, risks, and opportunities. This needs to be presented visually using a current state map. Ana explains this with a simple analogy of taking a pill, you don’t take it for nothing, you take it to solve a problem.
Lesson: Connect change to solving specific pain points. Frame change as the remedy.
6. Start Small: Build Wins that Sustain Organisational Transformation
Large-scale change can overwhelm. Small pilots reduce risk, build credibility, and increase confidence. Once people see results from these pilots, they are more likely to get on board.
Lesson: Design visible, low-risk experiments that showcase early wins.
7. Leverage the Science of Adoption
Don’t waste energy trying to convince everyone. Apply the Law of Diffusion of Innovation—focus on innovators (2.5%) and early adopters (13.5%) to reach the tipping point.
“You need to understand this law of diffusion innovation- innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. The moment that you have this 13.5% plus 2.5% on board, here becomes your tipping point.” — Ana Cavagnoli
Lesson: Focus on champions who amplify change.
8. Sustain with Continuous Improvement
Transformation isn’t a one-off initiative; it requires ongoing monitoring, feedback, and adaptation. Ana highlights the importance of weekly forums, continuous monitoring, and measurement for sustainable transformation.
“We keep having calls to assess all the continuous improvements. These forums happen every week in my organisation.” — Ana Cavagnoli
Lesson: Establish continuous improvement forums to keep transformation alive.
9. Create a Movement, Not Just a Project
The ultimate goal is not to deliver isolated projects, but to embed new ways of working into organisational DNA.
“Your goal as a change agent is to create changes that become a movement, not something that is just a project.” — Ana Cavagnoli
Lesson: Business transformation sticks when it becomes a movement embraced across the organization.
Practical Takeaways
- Lead as an orchestrator, not a director.
- Uncover and address fear, the hidden barrier to adoption.
- Anchor initiatives in a purpose that resonates across the business.
- Communicate with presence: body, tone, visuals matter.
- Frame change as solving real problems.
- Build momentum through pilots and small wins.
- Focus on innovators and early adopters to reach tipping point.
- Sustain momentum with continuous improvement forums.
- Create a movement, not just a project.
Drive Sustainable Business Transformation
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