Why does it feel like innovation initiatives never go anywhere?
We all know that innovation is a key driver of organizational success. I don’t think I’ve worked anywhere over the last 20+ years that didn’t have initiatives dedicated to it. From continuous improvement incentives to design thinking squads, across industries and departments (and decades), great ideas just don’t stick.
The reason: Because no one is focused on enabling adoption of the changes that come with an innovative idea. If an improvement has the potential to make a real impact, it’s going to require real behavior change.
Change management efforts deliver the kind of adoption and engagement crucial to fighting institutional inertia.
Change tactics make innovation happen by…
Innovation doesn’t fail because of bad ideas — it fails because great ideas aren’t carried through. That’s where change management comes in. It provides the structure, ownership, and human connection that turn creativity into lasting impact. Change management supports innovation strategy by:
Creating accountability and momentum
When an innovation initiative launches with energy but no one owns the “after” (the messy work of making it real) it’s destined to stall. Change management creates accountability and momentum by establishing clear ownership, milestones, feedback loops, and course corrections keep it alive. Innovation doesn’t just start strong, it stays strong.
Addressing what humans need in order to buy-in
When a team implements a new system that could deliver significant cost savings or efficiency gains, the technology or process is only half the battle. People need to understand why the change is happening and what’s in it for them. They need training on new workflows. Leaders need coaching on how to lead change. Change management addresses the human side of innovation so people don’t feel the need to find workarounds to keep doing things the old way, making that innovative solution expensive shelfware.
Aligning systems and structures
A brilliant idea doesn’t work if performance metrics, compensation structures, or technology systems undermine it. Change management aligns systems and structures to ensure that everything in the organization pulls in the same direction instead of working at cross-purposes.
Building innovation as a capability
Finally, change management builds capability for future innovation. Each well-managed change teaches the organization how to change. People develop comfort with new ways of working. Leaders get better at communicating during transitions. Teams learn to adapt more quickly. This organizational muscle memory makes the next innovation easier to implement and makes employees more willing to propose ideas because they’ve seen changes actually succeed.
Change management turns successful changing into a habit. It builds the confidence, skills, and resilience that keep innovation moving forward.
Innovation comes down to implementation
Innovation is essential for growth and competitiveness, but its success largely depends on how well it is implemented. Its true value is only realized when it is fully adopted and integrated into daily operations.
Change management is the bridge between innovation and impact. It turns ideas into outcomes by ensuring people adopt, sustain, and build on new ways of working. When organizations embed change management into their innovation process, they don’t just launch new initiatives; they create a culture that can adapt, evolve, and make innovation stick.
