Active Sustainable Transformation Instead of Slowing Down

Roles, Frameworks, and Leadership for Sustainable Transformation

Imagine a mid-sized technology company starting a new project. What’s missing is consistent and reliable communication. All employees in the development teams are highly committed, yet milestones are repeatedly missed, priorities do not hold and are constantly renegotiated. It is not a lack of expertise or experience – both are abundant. But still, employees report a sense of powerlessness. No one truly believes in the successful completion of the project anymore.
In such a case, simply optimizing processes, introducing leaner meetings, or communicating new company values will not lead to success. Transformation is more than change – it is an evolutionary process that requires culture, mindset, and leadership.

What is Sustainable Transformation?

Change often focuses on short-term improvements and measurable process outcomes. Transformation goes deeper, affecting culture, mindset, and the interactions of people within an organization – it is a long-term, evolutionary journey.

A transformation becomes sustainable when it achieves long-lasting impact across technical, temporal, and social dimensions. Changes are not imposed but developed collaboratively, supported and carried by both leaders and employees. This approach produces results that extend well beyond immediate objectives.

Learn more about on my site Sustainable Transformation.

How Can We Get Leaders and Employees to Actively Support Transformation Instead of Slowing It Down?

Culture is often used as an excuse: “It’s not working because of our culture!” At first glance, this may seem plausible. But “culture is a shadow of the past” (Grubendorfer, 2023). It may not sound appealing, but anyone who believes they can directly control or construct culture falls into the so-called illusion of governance. Organizations can create the right framework, allow open feedback, and support cultural change – but what the organisation actually will create out of this is completely open and only become visible over time.

A Paradox

Employees are caught in a bind. They are expected to show the same level of commitment as their leaders – attending multiple meetings at once, working beyond regular hours, and even being seen as heroes when they are occasionally late due to their dedication. At the same time, they are required to complete their tasks reliably. This includes making decisions, reviewing objective data with the team, and communicating efficiently. In such a culture, the very same behavior is both praised and criticized. A classic.

A possible solution is not more complex processes or handouts. It lies in clarity and role modeling by leaders: what leaders do themselves sets the standard for others. Leaders are in the spotlight of observation. Their behavior in challenging situations is observed and shapes organizational values. Authentic leadership builds trust, provides orientation, and ensures reliability at all levels.

Digital Transformation in Practice

Large IT initiatives, such as ERP or CRM implementations, often affect the entire organization. Centrally implemented systems are typically rolled out by corporate teams who are not directly familiar with customer realities and depend on information from others.

If leaders do not genuinely support the project and treat digitalization as just “something everyone does,” employees immediately sense that the transformation is not truly embraced from within.

This is nothing new and extraordanary. There is a quote by Arthur Schopenhauer: “What the heart resists, the mind cannot accept.” If a project is not emotionally embraced (80% of the iceberg), practical execution (20%) will always encounter reasons for delay, resistance, or failure. Conversely, when a project is passionately supported at the emotional level, even complex operational challenges are solved efficiently and collaboratively.

Simon (2022) adds: “People cannot be instructed; they always decide for themselves.” Understanding this changes the approach to transformation. Organizations move away from the illusion of control, from exhaustive process mapping, and from small management teams dictating what the rest of the organization “needs” for success. Instead, leaders reflect on what is truly essential for the company, the market, and the organization, share insights openly, and ask employees what they need to implement transformation sustainably.

Learn more about on my site Leadership Development.

Conclusion: Active Transformation is Possible

Sustainable transformation succeeds when leaders have the courage to act as role models, provide clarity, and actively involve the organization. Processes and tools help, but attitude and behavior determine success. Employees who understand the purpose of change and actively contribute carry the transformation forward instead of slowing it down.

This approach ensures that change is not only effective in the short term but becomes a sustainable transformation, delivering long-term results while strengthening team cohesion.

Do you want to get your organization moving and actively shape your transformation? Book a meeting for a non-binding conversation, and let’s discuss how a future collaboration could look like.