Here’s a hard truth: without behavior change, nothing actually gets implemented. You can spend millions on a shiny new system, create a beautifully color-coded process flow, and hold countless town halls—but if people aren’t changing what they do, your transformation is about as effective as a treadmill that no one uses.
Too often, organizations pour their energy into technology, processes, and structures while treating the human side of change as an afterthought. But from the start, initiative teams need to take a deliberate approach to defining the new behaviors required for success.
That’s why one of the core principles of IMA’s proprietary Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM) states:
💡 “To achieve value realization, you must first identify the ‘human objectives’ for your change.”
So, what exactly are human objectives, and why should you care? More importantly—how do you get people to actually do something different instead of nodding along in meetings and then doing things the old way?
The Human Side of Change: Why Behavior Matters
Every initiative sets out to achieve big, bold business goals—increasing efficiency, reducing waste, improving quality. But here’s the kicker: none of those goals magically happen just because you wrote them in a PowerPoint.
Think about it. A company can roll out the most advanced software system in the world, but if employees keep using their trusty Excel spreadsheets because “that’s how we’ve always done it,” productivity won’t improve. Similarly, adopting Agile won’t suddenly make teams work together better—especially if leaders still operate in silos and reward individual success over collaboration.
No matter how sophisticated the tools or processes are, if people don’t change how they work, nothing really changes. It’s like buying a state-of-the-art coffee machine but still making instant coffee every morning because it’s “easier.”
Defining the Right Behavior Changes
To achieve full implementation, you must define the specific behaviors expected once the change takes effect. Instead of vague aspirations like “adopt the new system” or “embrace Agile,” ask these critical questions:
✅ What will people actually be doing differently?
✅ How will we know they’ve changed when we see it?
For many Change Agents, this part is tricky. A great exercise is to fast-forward six months and imagine walking into the organization:
- What do employees look like when they’re successfully using the new system?
- How do leaders act differently in meetings?
- What new habits and routines are in place?
And here’s a pro tip: defining behavior change at the high level isn’t enough. Each workstream and target audience experiences transformation differently, so their behavioral shifts will look different too. A generic “everyone should embrace change” approach won’t cut it.
Plus, this isn’t a one-and-done process. People don’t wake up one day and magically start doing things the new way just because someone sent an email saying “Effective Monday, please use the new process.” (We all know how that goes.) Behavior change needs ongoing reinforcement, adjustments, and a whole lot of patience.
What Comes Next? Getting People to Actually Change
Identifying the behaviors is one thing. Getting people to actually do them is another beast entirely.
Humans are creatures of habit. We like our routines, our familiar tools, and our comfort zones. Change? That feels like extra work. Even when people say they’re on board, their actions often tell a different story.
So, how do you get them from “Sure, I’ll do that” to actually doing it?
1️⃣ Reinforcement Is Everything
People don’t change because they’re told to; they change because they’re reinforced to.
✔️ Positive reinforcement makes people want to adopt the new way.
✔️ Negative consequences discourage old behaviors.
✔️ A strategic mix of both leads to sustainable change.
Reinforcing behavior changes that drive business results is key. (And, unfortunately, you can’t just hand out snacks in meetings unless that is what motivates your people!)
2️⃣ Rewards Need to Actually Matter
People don’t change for generic incentives. If the reinforcements don’t resonate, they’ll ignore them. Yet, companies often keep reinforcing the old ways of working because they forgot to update the rewards.
Imagine rolling out an innovative initiative while still rewarding employees for playing it safe. Guess what? They’ll keep playing it safe. The same happens when organizations expect leaders to model collaboration but only promote those who maximize their personal success.
For reinforcement to work, it must be:
✔️ Personally meaningful to the individuals expected to change.
✔️ Significantly different from the old ways of working.
3️⃣ Sponsors Must Lead the Way
The best way to drive behavior change? Through direct managers. Employees watch what their leaders do—not just what they say.
When Change Agents and Sponsors work together, they can:
✅ Define and communicate the expected behaviors clearly.
✅ Plan reinforcements that actually work.
✅ Ensure that leaders Express, Model, and Reinforce the change daily.
Without strong sponsorship, people will default to the familiar—because, let’s be honest, who really wants to be the first one to adopt something new if leadership isn’t doing it?
AIM: A Repeatable, Proven Change Process
Successful transformation isn’t about writing fancy mission statements or hoping people will change. It requires a structured, disciplined approach that systematically defines, reinforces, and sustains new behaviors.
How AIM Ensures Change Success:
🔹 Define the Change – Success starts with a clear picture of the behaviors that need to shift.
✔️ What are people doing today?
✔️ How should they behave after the change?
🔹 Generate Sustained Sponsorship – A committed sponsorship cascade is the #1 predictor of successful implementation. Sponsors must Express, Model, and Reinforce the change consistently.
🔹 Develop Reinforcement Strategies – People need reinforcement early and often to make new behaviors stick. Recognizing and rewarding early adopters is key to building momentum.
🚀 AIM provides the structured, repeatable process organizations need to make change stick—across teams, locations, and cultures.
Because, in the end, without behavior change, there is no transformation.
Final Thoughts: Want Real Change? Start with Behavior
Too many initiatives fail because organizations neglect the human factor. Defining, reinforcing, and sustaining new behaviors isn’t just an extra step—it’s the foundation of lasting success.
With AIM, organizations can navigate transformational change with a practical, systematic approach that ensures long-term adoption.
💡 Want to drive real transformation? Start with behavior change.
📩 Let’s talk about how AIM can help your organization achieve sustained success!
