The new rules of leading change
Twenty years ago, leading through change looked very different; drawing up a plan, issuing comms and steering the organisation from A to B. Today, the work is faster, messier, and far more human. In our recent Change Makers conversation, Adam Evans spoke with business psychologist and people change leader Sandie Bakowski, to discuss the people side of transformation.
“People will react differently to change… you’ve got to tailor it, and you’ve got to see the different ways people will internalise it.” – Sandie Bakowski
Why structured change no longer works
When Sandie began her career, change was defined by structured methodologies like TQM and ISO 9000. It was linear, disciplined, and largely process-led. Then came Agile, loosening the form. Now, she says, organisations need to get comfortable with uncertainty, listening and adjusting as they go.
“It’s not going to follow a plan, and people won’t do what they’re told to the plan. The smart organisations are the ones that can respond to that.” – Sandie Bakowski
We’re seeing the same shift among our clients. Success is no longer just managing milestones; it’s about noticing patterns early, identifying resistance, and learning in real time. The big story might be an enterprise-wide digital transformation, but it’s the little stories, like how HR, data or frontline teams actually feel, that determine whether it sticks.
It’s not just the project that matters
Most transformation programmes still measure success by deadlines and budgets. Few look back two years later to ask what really changed. As Sandie puts it:
“You get the behaviour you reward… projects are on time and to budget. They very rarely, two years later, go back and ask, did this create any change?”
Adam echoed the challenge from a leadership perspective:
“If you’re spending that much money, how can you see the results against it?” – Adam Evans
It’s a familiar imbalance. Organisations invest heavily in technology while underfunding the people side of change, such as coaching and conversation, which can turn that investment into real value. Sandie now finds herself coaching technical experts to better understand behaviour, not just delivering change artefacts, as that’s where adoption happens.
At Levick Stanley, we believe the most effective leaders combine strategic clarity with emotional intelligence. They connect what the system needs with what people care about.
The strength of loose ties
Sandie’s creation of Six Women Dinners was rooted in a simple idea: most networks are too narrow. Lawyers meet lawyers. Technologists meet technologists. But real learning happens when those lanes cross.
“If you can allow different voices to speak up… if you can create the psychological safety to hear alternative views without feeling the need to say you’re wrong or you’re right, there’s a huge amount for industry to learn.” – Sandie Bakowski
It’s a principle that applies equally to change leadership. Post-pandemic, many of those weak ties that spark creativity have eroded. Leaders now need to rebuild them with intention. Adam sees this reflected in client briefs:
“Clients ask us to look outside the norm… I need someone who can challenge the status quo. If they’ve got a different background or idea, we’d like to meet them.” – Adam Evans
This isn’t diversity as box-ticking, it’s strategic. Change teams with challengers, connectors and translators can spot what others miss, building stronger solutions because they’ve built them together.
The real questions leaders need to make room for
As Sandie pointed out, we’re now leading change during a deep shift in identity. As AI and data reshape roles, people are asking not just “what do I do here?” but “who am I becoming?”
“This should be a business psychologist’s time… roles are moving alongside this technology.” – Sandie Bakowski
Leading change now means holding space for those questions, creating environments where trust, dialogue and curiosity can thrive. It requires leaders who can bridge strategy and psychology, bringing together systems, people and stories in service of something better.
Change that sticks
The playbook may be gone, and the pace has accelerated, but the principles endure: listen, connect, include and reward the right outcomes.
For transformation to stick, you need to invest in people, as well as plans, building teams that reflect the complexity of the challenges they are solving, with leaders who help to actively shape change.
If you’d like to watch the full conversation between Sandie and Adam, you can do so on our YouTube channel. Earlier in the year, Sandie launched an online home for the Six Women Dinners, where you can find out more about the community and future networking events.
If you are looking to find professionals who can deliver meaningful, people-first transformation, get in touch with the team.