We’re continuing to analyze the results from last year’s change management survey, and one of the most interesting things to emerge so far is where the biggest differences show up. Unsurprisingly, many of them appear in the regional data cuts. Different regions bring different norms, priorities, and expectations, which often require different change management approaches across the globe.
That makes sense — but it’s not the whole story.
As I thought more about the data (and after several recent conversations with members), something else became clear: we have microcultures everywhere. These microcultures don’t just exist across countries or regions. They show up across locations within the same country, and sometimes even within the same building.
Culture can vary by function, by department, by leadership style, and even by level in the organization. Two teams can follow the same process, use the same tools, and report into the same enterprise strategy, and still experience change very differently.
TL;DR: Every organization has cultural differences that need to be considered during change, even when everyone works for the same company, in the same country, or under the same roof.
Awareness of those differences is important, but it’s not enough. What really matters is how you tailor your change management approach to account for them. Too often, organizations design a change plan once and assume it will work universally. The change goes live, adoption is uneven, and leaders are left wondering why.
The answer is usually sitting right in front of them: those microcultures.
Here are three things to consider for your next change.
1. Sponsorship is critical, but it doesn’t stop at the top
Executive sponsorship is foundational to effective change management, and most organizations agree. In fact, 57% consider it a critical part of a change effort. Strong sponsors approve initiatives, allocate resources, make timely decisions, and remove obstacles.
But when you’re trying to drive change across multiple microcultures, one sponsor at the top isn’t always enough.
This is where “mini sponsors” come into play.
Mini sponsors act as local change champions within their teams or functions. They help translate the change in ways that resonate with their group while still aligning to the broader objectives. They model new behaviors, reinforce priorities, and — just as importantly — become a feedback loop for how the change is actually landing.
In many cases, these mini sponsors are the difference between surface-level compliance and real adoption.
2. Engagement is not one-size-fits-all
Let’s be honest: one-size-fits-all rarely works. I’m reminded of the last time I bought a “one-size-fits-all” hat and immediately thought, this is a lie — this absolutely does not fit me.
Engagement works the same way.
What motivates one team may completely miss the mark with another, even if they sit right next to each other. This is where your mini sponsors become invaluable. They can help answer questions like:
- What actually matters to this group?
- What will drive engagement here?
- What will actively turn people off?
You’ll almost always need multiple engagement tactics, sometimes even within the same function. That’s not a failure, it’s reality.
I often think about this in the same way I think about parenting. You can have two children raised by the same parents, in the same household, and they can respond very differently to change. One embraces the new routine immediately, the other pushes back at every step.
The lesson? Play to your audience. Adjust mid-scene if something isn’t working. Try again if the first approach falls flat. Adapt as you go.
“Resistance” usually isn’t really resistance, it’s lack of alignment.
When adoption stalls, leaders often jump to the conclusion that employees are being resistant. In most cases, that’s not what’s happening.
More often, what looks like resistance is actually:
- lack of clarity about what’s changing or why,
- misalignment with local priorities, or
orplain old change fatigue.
People aren’t trying to push back, they’re trying to survive one more initiative layered onto an already full plate.
Again, this is where your mini sponsors matter. Use them to truly understand what’s behind the hesitation. Is communication unclear? Does the function need more context on why the change matters? Are there upstream or downstream impacts they don’t see — or don’t yet care about?
Diagnosing the root cause matters far more than labeling the behavior.
3. Don’t Set It and Forget It
At the end of the day, your change plan is not a crockpot meal. You can’t just throw in the ingredients, turn it on, and expect a perfect result hours later.
Every “crockpot” is different. Your ingredients may come from a different store. The meat might be frozen instead of thawed. The cook time will vary.
Change works the same way.
Each team is different. Each day is different. Each culture is different. And each change effort needs ongoing attention, adjustment, and care.
Don’t expect a one-size-fits-all approach to work, or you should fully expect it to fail.