#change management

#change management

When CEO Doug McMillon and other Walmart execs visit stores, they'll collect stray shopping carts from the parking lot or pick up trash. The idea is to model servant leadership and being "willing to do what we want anybody else to do," McMillon told a business school audience at Stanford in May. McMillon, 59, announced on Friday that he plans to retire in January. He will be succeeded by John Furner, president and current CEO of Walmart US.

When you serve a large audience, you face a paradox: Too much change → you risk alienating loyal users who've invested years in your product. Too little change → you risk stagnation, where design can't support new features or keep up with competitors.

There's just one problem, though: While many know how to declare an initiative, far fewer understand what it takes to carry the project through the friction of daily workflows. What separates those rare successes from the long list of initiatives that fade into half-measures is not only leadership and resourcing, but also the way organizations adapt, measure, and learn as they go.

My first experience with technology adoption for a law firm was probably in 1993. I was attending a partner meeting for a top Am Law firm to demonstrate the first version of Lexis on Microsoft Windows. My pitch was strong enough to get a partner to grab the mouse and try for himself. The problem was that he had never used a computer before. When the partner grabbed the mouse, he accidentally highlighted half the screen. Embarrassed, he walked away without saying a word.

When you think about growing your business, it's natural to picture new customers, more sales, and bigger teams. But growth today looks a little different than you might be used to because it also involves making sure your people can work effectively with the systems you put in place. That balance is what makes the difference between growth that feels sustainable and growth that leaves everyone stretched.

The execs kick things off: Why are we here? What will this achieve? Then the consultants descend. Let the process mapping begin. Swim lanes. Handoff points. Decision makers. Stakeholders. RACI charts. Today is all about people and process. The message is clear: fix the people side first - because until you do, no technology will save you. No more silos. No more pain points. Content, data and insights delivered on time and on spec.

Changes from the C-suite often land as abstract ideas that feel disconnected from the reality on the ground. It's up to team leaders to help people see what it means for them.

COOs perceive law firm partners as the primary barrier to change, indicating that partners disregard the improvement recommendations put forth by their COOs.

People who are presented with the risk of losing a current position or status are far more likely to engage with the task at hand, motivated by the fear of failure.

Engineers often overlook the human and organizational dimensions of software migrations, misjudging them solely as technical projects while these elements significantly affect outcomes.

The challenge in developing or updating a website isn't just stakeholder management-it's change management.

During SAP Sapphire, Maura Hameroff clarified that "Rise with SAP" and "Grow with SAP" are support programs aimed at assisting customers in their ERP journey.

Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong.