What is the most common reason organisational change initiatives fail?

One of the most common reasons change initiatives fail is a lack of attention to the human side of change. While strategy, systems, and technology are important, change fatigue, low trust, poor communication, and unaddressed team conflict often derail even the best-designed plans. Supporting staff through change with clear communication, leadership training, and psychological safety is essential for success.

How can leaders reduce resistance to change in the workplace?

To reduce resistance, leaders must prioritise trust, transparency, and two-way communication. Employees are more likely to embrace change when they understand the “why,” feel heard, and are given time to adjust. Investing in conflict resolution training, team-building workshops, and leadership coaching helps managers build the skills needed to guide their teams through uncertainty and disruption.

What are the early signs of change fatigue in teams?

Early signs of change fatigue include increased absenteeism, disengagement, reduced collaboration, and rising tension between team members. Employees may appear overwhelmed, cynical, or emotionally withdrawn. Identifying these signs early and responding with emotional intelligence, structured team support, and wellbeing-focused leadership can prevent burnout and conflict escalation.

Why is psychological safety important during organisational change?

Psychological safety allows staff to ask questions, raise concerns, and make mistakes without fear of blame. During change, it’s essential that employees feel safe enough to express uncertainty or offer feedback. Cultivating psychological safety through respectful workplace practices, facilitated team conversations, and values-based leadership training builds resilience and adaptability across the organisation.

What training helps managers lead change more effectively?

Effective change leadership training should include components of conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, communication skills, and strategies for managing resistance. Managers who are equipped to support staff wellbeing, navigate difficult conversations, and maintain trust are more successful in implementing sustainable organisational change.

Don’t Lose Your Team to Change

Shiv Martin
Aug 5
5 min read

Updated: Sep 19

Most change initiatives don’t fail because of poor strategy or systems; they fail because of a lack of leadership, trust, and effective people management.

By Shiv Martin | Leadership Trainer, Workplace Mediator, and Conflict Resolution Consultant

When we hear the term change manager, it’s often used to describe professionals overseeing the technical or IT implementation side of transformation - system upgrades, new platforms, or digital tools. But that’s rarely where change efforts fall apart. Most projects don’t fail because the technology didn’t work, they fail because the people weren’t supported and didn’t buy into the change efforts.

Without skilled leadership, effective communication, and trust-building processes in place, even the most advanced solutions won’t stick. True change management is as much about navigating human behaviour as it is about rolling out systems. While it may be easy to change back and forth between technology systems, team culture is much harder to bring back once lost, and nothing threatens a team’s cohesiveness like organisational change.

Research consistently shows that over 70% of organisational change projects fail not due to technical deficiencies, but because the human impact of change is underestimated or mismanaged.

As a corporate trainer, facilitator, and mediator, I’ve worked with teams across the public service, healthcare, regulatory, education, and not-for-profit sectors. Again and again, I’ve seen change derail not from lack of planning, but from a failure to support the people affected by it.

The Human Cost of Poorly Managed Change

When I’m brought in after a failed rollout or a stalled transformation to facilitate a team building workshop or conduct a workplace mediation, I often see:

Team conflict simmering beneath the surface
Low trust in leadership and high staff turnover
Burnout, disengagement, and passive resistance
HR teams under pressure to “fix culture” retrospectively

The truth? You can’t ‘reboot’ trust once it’s lost. You can’t ‘re-engage’ staff who feel blindsided or disrespected. You can’t solve a cultural breakdown with technology alone.

These outcomes aren’t just unfortunate - they’re avoidable.

Shiv Martin presenting at Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic Team Development Session — “Emotional intelligence isn’t just about managing feelings, it’s about knowing what matters. When leaders are clear on their values, they can respond with empathy, lead with integrity, and create the kind of psychological safety that builds real trust.”

Understanding Change Through a Psychological Lens

Organisational change is not just structural, it’s psychological. Our brains are wired for stability. When change is poorly communicated, imposed without input, or introduced too quickly, it triggers a threat response.

This leads to:

Heightened anxiety and stress
Decreased problem-solving and collaboration
Silos, conflict, and disengagement
A culture of resistance and reactivity

Successful change requires more than strategic planning, it requires emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and team alignment.

Why Trust Is the Cornerstone of Change Leadership

Trust is not a “nice to have” it’s a biological and behavioural foundation for resilience, collaboration, and innovation.

When teams trust their leaders, they are more adaptable, more transparent, and more willing to engage in change. When trust is low, fear takes over. Cortisol spikes, and people move into self-preservation mode. Even the most innovative system or workflow won’t gain traction if staff feel uncertain or unsafe.

This is where many well-intentioned leaders go wrong, particularly those stepping into new roles or driving rapid change without laying the relational groundwork first.

Technology Won’t Fix Disconnected Teams

I’ve seen organisations invest significantly in new platforms, case management systems, AI tools, and productivity apps. These tools are important - but they’re not a solution to broken communication or low morale.

When staff don’t feel seen, heard, or supported, technology doesn’t get used as intended. Engagement drops, tensions rise, and transformation efforts stall.

You don’t need a bigger IT budget. You need better conversations.

Teams that Get Ahead of the Change: Brisbane Migraine Clinics

I recently worked with the team at Brisbane Headache & Migraine Clinic - a smart, capable group of healthcare professionals who weren’t in crisis, but could feel the pressure building. Things were shifting: new systems, changing roles, and the usual pace of a growing organisation. They reached out not because something was broken, but because they wanted to stay connected and get ahead of any tension.

Using my expertise in mediation and team development, I designed a practical, honest session where they could step back, reflect, and have the kind of conversation that doesn’t happen in busy day-to-day work. Through a structured team workshop, we explored:

Individual work styles and shared values
The cognitive impact of change and decision fatigue
How to communicate more effectively during high-pressure periods
Practical strategies for resolving tension and building trust

This wasn’t about “fixing” people. It was about creating a safe, open space for realignment. The team reconnected not just professionally but personally, sharing stories, insights, and even a laugh over bubble tea. The outcome? A renewed sense of purpose and cohesion, without pausing their growth trajectory.

Shiv did an amazing job for my entire team. She is an amazing speaker, her communication skills are high-level, and is a person you can easily relate to. Her workshop on ‘ Thriving Through Change: Building Personal and Team Resilience’ has highly helped my team and business. I recommend Shiv if you are looking to improve or solidify your company. - Bertrand | Director at Brisbane Headache & Migraine Clinic

The Takeaway: Trust First, Change Second

Too often, change strategies begin with structure - new systems, new reporting lines, new workflows. But unless trust is built in early, these strategies are likely to face resistance.

If you want your teams to adapt and collaborate under pressure, you need to:

Communicate early and clearly
Acknowledge emotional responses to change
Equip leaders with conflict resolution and coaching skills
Foster a workplace culture that values psychological safety

Build Change-Ready, Conflict-Resilient Teams

Through customised corporate training programs, team building workshops, and conflict resolution coaching, I help organisations:

Prevent and de-escalate workplace conflict
Strengthen leadership capacity during change
Improve team communication and emotional intelligence
Rebuild trust and cultural alignment after disruption

With over 15 years of experience working with leaders and frontline staff across Australia, I support teams through high-stakes transitions with clarity, empathy, and evidence-based strategies.

Ready to Equip Your Team for Change?

Don’t wait until morale drops or conflict escalates. Let’s build the trust and communication foundations your team needs to thrive during change.

📩 Enquire now about conflict resolution and leadership training 🔗 shivmartin.com.au | ✉️ contact@shivmartin.com 📅 Book a free confidential consultation

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shiv Martin is a nationally accredited mediator, practicing solicitor, conciliator, decision-maker, and certified vocational trainer. With extensive experience in complex dispute resolution, stakeholder engagement, and team building across business, community, and governmental sectors, Shiv brings over a decade of unique and diverse expertise in Law, Management, Vocational Education, and Mediation.

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