A CEO’s Guide To Sustaining Change Over Time

Summary

Resistance to change doesn’t stop after launch — it comes back in waves. Kathryn Clubb argues that CEOs should stop treating pushback as a one-off obstacle and start using it as a continual source of intelligence to sustain transformation. Based on work with large organisations, the article describes three phases people move through (conceptual, practical, reliable) and explains how resistance looks different at each stage. Rather than trying to crush dissent, leaders should reframe resistance as feedback, coach teams through critical moments, plan repeated communications and build organisational resilience through regular check-ins and adjustments.

Key Points

Resistance evolves: expect successive waves rather than a single hurdle.
Three phases create distinct challenges — conceptual (questions/scepticism), practical (operational friction) and reliable (hidden underuse or reversion to old habits).
Resistance is data: it reveals communication gaps, trust issues, skill shortages and incentive misalignments.
Mindset shifts for leaders: move from directing to coaching, treat resistance as feedback, and anticipate repeated realisation moments.
Practical tactics: name the pattern early, map common flashpoints (compensation, roles/reporting, expectations), listen and probe, communicate rhythmically and build resilience through short, regular check-ins.

Why should I read this?

Short answer: if you’re leading any change, this saves you from the classic mistake of assuming the hard part is over once the project launches. It gives quick, sensible steps you can use straight away — how to spot the next wave of pushback, what to say, and how to set up simple routines that keep momentum alive. No fluff, just practical moves that actually work.

Author style

Punchy. Kathryn Clubb writes from hands-on experience with big transformations and the piece reads like a CEO briefing — direct, action-focused and worth following closely if you’re charged with making change stick. Read the detail if you’re accountable for outcomes; the examples and checklist items are where the value lives.

Source

Source: https://chiefexecutive.net/a-ceos-guide-to-sustaining-change-over-time/