Discover insights from Dr. Thomas Pisar on effective organizational change, including key learnings about transformation and the importance of social dynamics in successful projects.
A new podcast episode of State of Process Automation was published on Jul 06, 2025 with the original title:
The Drama of Failed Transformation
Overview:
Dr. Thomas Pisar discusses the gap between theoretical change and practical application in organizations. He focuses on common pitfalls in change management and emphasizes that successful transformation requires both technical and social adjustments underpinned by genuine engagement.
Core content:
- Change often fails when organizations confuse good intentions with effective actions, losing themselves in jargon and superficial engagement.
- True transformation must address the problem before seeking a solution; understanding the root causes is crucial for successful change.
- Effective communication should have dramatic impact rather than simply top-down directives, fostering a culture of collaboration.
- Support from leadership is essential to complement grassroots efforts for sustainable change; both must work in synergy.
- Recognizing when a change initiative is genuinely complete is vital; otherwise, organizations may mark improvements that exist only on paper.
- Intentional acknowledgment can reshape behaviors and contribute to a more positive organizational culture over time.
Learnings:
- Understand why technological change requires a parallel focus on social dynamics within organizations to achieve meaningful progress.
- Learn how starting with the problems rather than solutions can steer transformation strategies in the right direction.
- Discover how impactful communication can motivate teams more effectively than traditional top-down approaches.
- Gain insights on the importance of leadership involvement in grassroots change initiatives for optimal outcomes.
- Explore methods to discern genuine change completion from superficial compliance that may misrepresent the success of initiatives.
- Realize how acknowledging efforts and contributions can shift organizational behavior and culture over time.
The original content was published in German.
