Change is constant—but embracing it? That’s the real challenge.
In a recent Awardco webinar, executive coach and organizational consultant Kate Schwenn tackled the topic head-on, offering practical strategies for organizations to not only manage change but build a culture that thrives on it. With a background as a senior leader and years of experience guiding teams through transformation, Kate delivered a powerful framework for turning resistance into momentum.
Below, we’ll unpack the best practices she shared and how they can help your organization create a culture of commitment—not just compliance.
Rethink the Way You See Change
Most organizations approach change linearly—get people from “not doing it” to “doing it.” But change isn’t a binary switch. It’s a spectrum that requires both action and motivation. Kate introduced the Change Matrix, a two-dimensional model that maps where employees fall:
- Commit: High change, high motivation. These employees are your influencers.
- Comply: Low motivation, moderate change. They’ll do just enough—but don’t expect innovation.
- Complain: Low motivation, low change. Passive resistance that erodes culture.
- Condemn: High motivation not to change. These employees actively fight progress.
To drive real transformation, leaders must focus on moving employees into the commit zone—where motivation is intrinsic, and change becomes self-sustaining.
Motivation Is More Than Logic
We like to believe people are rational, but behavioral science tells a different story. People make decisions emotionally and subconsciously, then rationalize them after the fact. That means even well-reasoned change initiatives can fail if they don’t speak to the human experience.
Why does this matter? Because change often threatens an employee’s sense of competence, autonomy, or value. Leaders must go beyond logic and tap into intrinsic motivators—recognition, meaning, connection—if they want buy-in.
Acknowledge What’s Being Left Behind
Two compelling studies Kate shared proved that meaning is a massive driver of performance. When participants saw their work ignored or undone, their productivity dropped dramatically—even if they enjoyed the work.
The takeaway? Never roll out change without recognizing what came before. If a system, process, or way of doing things is being replaced, acknowledge the time, effort, and energy employees invested. Without that acknowledgment, motivation drops, resistance rises, and productivity suffers
Align Incentives to the New Behavior
One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is trying to implement change without changing incentives. If your old performance metrics or rewards don’t align with new expectations, employees will default to what’s rewarded.
Ask:
- What new behaviors do we need?
- How are we currently measuring and rewarding performance?
- What incentives need to shift to support the change?
Whether it's integrating performance-based recognition or adjusting KPIs, make sure the system supports the behavior you want.
Communicate at the Right Level
Not all audiences care about the same message. Executives care about the bottom line, managers care about team performance, and individual contributors care about their own growth.
To get buy-in, communicate in their language:
- For leaders: How does this impact business performance?
- For managers: How does it help them lead better?
- For individuals: How does this help them succeed in their role?
Tailored messaging is key to helping each group see what's in it for them.
Create Space for Resistance—Then Collaborate
Instead of bulldozing resistance, invite it. Objections are valuable. They offer insight into what’s not working and an opportunity to make employees part of the solution.
Kate emphasized practicing open communication—vulnerability, curiosity, and empathy. Ask:
- What about this change concerns you?
- What would you do in my shoes?
- What does a better solution look like to you?
When employees feel heard and understood, they’re more likely to trust and engage.
Choose Commitment Over Compliance
Sustainable change doesn’t come from control—it comes from commitment. And that starts at the top.
To build a culture that loves change:
- Normalize mistakes as part of learning.
- Invite feedback and new ideas.
- Foster leadership behaviors that model curiosity, openness, and flexibility.
- Recognize progress often and meaningfully.
Whether you're rolling out a new system or shifting team structure, change isn’t just an event—it’s a cultural mindset.
The Takeaway
True transformation happens when people don’t just tolerate change—they lead it. And that only happens in a culture rooted in trust, recognition, and intrinsic motivation.
Want to see the full strategy in action?
Watch the full webinar with Kate Schwenn and discover how to turn resistance into resilience—one team at a time.
An avid lover of fantasy books, a proud Hufflepuff, and a strong proponent of escapism, Jeff has a love of good storytelling. He relies on that for both his professional work and his writing hobby (don’t ask about the 10+ novel ideas collecting virtual dust on his computer).
