BCG argues that the story of change, alongside its logic, determines whether people believe in a transformation and follow it. For leaders, communication, engagement and a sense of personal involvement are therefore part of the operating design of change.
Key takeaways
- Build a change story that explains both what is changing and why it matters to people.
- Leaders should systematically create a sense of participation through decisions, influence or representation.
- Sustain momentum through visible wins, new challenges and deliberate fresh starts.
What this means for CEOs
BCG’s insight is that lasting change grows from behavioural science rather than a formal project plan. CEOs should manage transformation as a social system in which people are the mechanism for executing strategy, rather than an add-on.