Think back to the last time you admitted being wrong about something important—whether it was a strategy you supported, a hire you defended, or a process you insisted would work. That sinking feeling when you realized you had to change course? That uncomfortable space between recognizing the need for change and actually making it—that’s where most of us get stuck.
Now imagine that feeling multiplied across an entire organization. This struggle to unlearn past successes is often why companies fail—not from a lack of talent or resources, but because they hold on to outdated beliefs and practices.
Take General Electric, once the most valuable company in America, which lost its place on the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2018 after 111 years. Its leadership clung to a conglomerate model and management style that had become obsolete, unable to pivot as the business landscape shifted underneath them. Or consider Intel, a chipmaking giant that missed the mobile revolution because it couldn’t let go of its focus on PC processors—a blind spot that allowed competitors like ARM and TSMC to dominate the future smartphone market. More recently, the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in 2023 exposed leadership unable to adjust risk strategies to a rising interest rate environment.
They knew what they knew—and it was their undoing.
Arie de Geus, in his book The Living Company, wrote, “An organization's ability to learn faster than its competitors may be its only sustainable competitive advantage.” That future is now. Skills grow obsolete faster than ever, business models that worked yesterday disappear overnight, and the gap between those who adapt and those who don’t is widening dramatically. The rise of generative AI has only accelerated this reality—organizations clinging to pre-AI mindsets and workflows are already falling behind those redefining what’s possible.
Research from McKinsey reveals that 87% of executives see skill gaps in their organizations, yet far fewer are actively addressing them—not just by learning new skills, but by unlearning outdated ones. Change has always been constant, but today it’s relentless and rapid. Staying relevant demands a mindset of continuous learning and comfort with not knowing.
Learning, unlearning, and relearning must become core to how individuals and organizations remain relevant—to employees, customers, and communities alike.
Here are five steps to lead teams through change effectively, reducing resistance and turning disruption into opportunity:
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Start with Why, Not What
People don’t resist change itself—they resist change without purpose. Change imposed is change opposed. Leaders often fail by rushing to the what and how before explaining the why. Teams need to see the problem they’re solving and the future they’re helping create. Without this, change feels meaningless—like it’s just for change’s sake. -
Clarify the Vision, Even When Uncertain
In uncertain times, people crave clarity about what’s coming next. That doesn’t mean having all the answers—it means being honest about what is known, what isn’t, and how decisions will be made together. Neuroscience shows uncertainty triggers threat responses in the brain, but even partial clarity can calm those fears. -
Validate Grief and Loss
Change means loss—of comfort, expertise, relationships, identity. People grieve, and leaders who acknowledge these emotions early create space for honest dialogue and quicker adaptation. Empathy is not a “soft skill”; it’s strategic. -
Make People Co-Creators of Change
The first question in any change is, “How does this affect me?” followed by, “What’s in it for me?” Get people involved early as creators, not victims, through pilot programs and transition teams. Demonstrating the new way helps shift resistance into ownership. -
Build Change Readiness Into Culture
Change isn’t an event to be managed—it’s a continuous opportunity to evolve. Organizations that embed change readiness into their DNA—embracing learning, unlearning, and relearning daily—will thrive. They close the gap between knowing what must change and having the courage to change it.
Today’s winners, like Netflix, Microsoft, and Adobe, weren’t afraid to dismantle business models that once succeeded to stay relevant tomorrow. The opposite of certainty isn’t chaos—it’s possibility. As H.G. Wells said, “Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.”
The question isn’t whether change is coming—it’s whether you have the courage to unlearn what no longer serves and relearn what does.