Rainmaker

Change is messy. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s also transformational. Focus on building trust, keeping the lines of communication open, and reminding everyone that the end goal is worth the effort.
And when it’s all over, you’ll realise the chaos was just part of the process. 💪✨

Listen to the backseat drivers.
Yes, even the sceptics. Resistance often highlights blind spots. Address their concerns instead of brushing them off—they’ll come around if you show you’re listening.

Focus on small wins.
When the chaos feels overwhelming, celebrate those quick wins. A solved problem, successful training, even a positive email from a sceptic—it’s all fuel for the journey.

So, how do you balance all this? Here are 3 survival tips for staying on track:

Acknowledge the ride.
Don’t pretend it’s smooth sailing. Prepare your teams for the ups and downs—resistance is normal, chaos is inevitable, but breakthroughs are always worth it.

05 Stabilisation.
The chaos subsides. The team starts to feel the progress, and people are no longer asking, “Why are we doing this?” but rather, “What’s next?”

04 Breakthroughs.
A light at the end of the tunnel! A successful milestone, a converted sceptic, or an unexpected moment of alignment. Suddenly, there’s momentum.

03 Chaos.
Deadlines shift, priorities clash, and tempers fray. The Programme Manager starts wondering if coffee counts as a food group, HR juggles impossible workloads, and the Executive Sponsor is quietly rethinking every decision.

02 Resistance.
Scepticism creeps in. Team Leaders mutter, “This won’t stick,” the frontline workers disengage (“Another one of these?”), and suddenly progress feels harder to achieve.

Here’s how the journey generally unfolds:

01 Honeymoon.
Everything feels shiny and new. The Programme Manager is fired up, the Executive Sponsor is beaming with confidence, and HR is overflowing with enthusiasm. But this is just the warm-up.

Change programmes are far from a gentle stroll through the park—they’re a relentless tug-of-war. On one side, you’ve got excitement, optimism, and bold promises pulling for progress. On the other? Resistance, fear, and a good old-fashioned dose of chaos that always seems to show up uninvited.