The Science of Change

Advanced data analytics make it easier than ever to enact evidence-based strategies.

A study of hundreds of large companies revealed five components critical to successful change management. The first was that companies must “ground change programs in evidence.” There was a time when businesses implemented change using a leader’s intuition, customer surveys, and other subjective data. Advances in data collection and analytics mean those days are over – or should be. “Evidence-based transformation” involves creating a well-defined purpose that employees can get behind, taking a deep look at historical data and then applying analyses that generate insights specific to a company’s unique situation. Evidence-based transformation often means you can anticipate change and act rather than reacting after the fact, thus turning challenges into opportunities for competitive advantage.

Change isn’t a smooth sprint from point A to point B. Rather, it’s a meandering exploration of a “landscape of possibility.”

To best navigate the landscape of change, try to “de-average change strategies according to the nature of the challenge at...