Change That Sticks: Why Co-Design Matters More Than a Glossy Plan

Change That Sticks: Why Co-Design Matters More Than A Glossy Plan

Most organisations don’t struggle to create change plans.

They struggle to make those plans stick.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been called in after a well-intentioned strategy has stalled. The plan usually looks impressive: clear language, neat timelines, and a deck that’s been socialised at leadership level. And yet-months later-nothing has really shifted.

The issue isn’t effort or intent.

It’s how the change was designed.

The problem with “perfect” plans

Traditional change approaches often prioritise speed and polish. Leaders retreat, analyse the problem, design the solution, and then roll it out to the organisation.

On paper, that makes sense. In practice, it creates distance.

When people are handed a finished plan they had no role in shaping, they may nod along-but inside they’re asking:

• How does this work in our day-to-day reality?
• What happens when this clashes with existing pressures?
• Is this just another thing we’re meant to absorb on top of everything else?

That uncertainty doesn’t always show up as resistance. More often, it shows up as inertia.

What co-design actually means (and what it doesn’t)

Co-design is often misunderstood as “asking everyone what they think” or running endless workshops that go nowhere. That’s not what I’m talking about.

Done well, co-design is structured, disciplined and purposeful.

It means:

• Leaders set clear intent, boundaries and success measures
• Teams contribute insight into how work actually happens
• Together, you design solutions that are practical, testable and measurable

This isn’t about consensus on everything. It’s about shared understanding and ownership.

Why co-design leads to better outcomes

When teams are involved early, several things happen:

1. Reality surfaces quickly
   People flag risks, inefficiencies and unintended consequences before they derail progress.
2. Capability is built, not borrowed
   Teams learn how to analyse problems, redesign workflows and adjust course-skills they keep long after the project ends.
3. Momentum replaces compliance
   People don’t need to be “sold” on the change. They already understand the why and the how.

One regional organisation I worked with came in wanting to “fix engagement.” Through co-design, it became clear the real issue was role confusion and duplicated effort. We redesigned decision making and meeting protocols instead. Engagement followed because the work finally made sense.

The role of leadership in co-design

Co-design doesn’t mean leaders step back. It means they lead differently.

Strong leaders in co-design:

• Are explicit about non-negotiables
• Stay curious rather than defensive
• Focus on progress over perfection
• Hold the line on outcomes, not methods

Your job isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to create the conditions where better answers can emerge.

Making co-design work in practice

In my work, co-design usually follows a simple rhythm:

1. Diagnose clearly – using data, conversations and existing metrics
2. Define success – what will be different if this works?
3. Design together – targeted sessions focused on real work, not theory
4. Test and adjust – check in, learn, and refine
5. Embed capability – so the change doesn’t rely on external support

Change is rarely linear. Co-design allows you to respond, not react.

The bottom line

If your change plan needs constant pushing to stay alive, that’s a signal - not a failure.

Co-design doesn’t slow change down.

It stops you from having to redo it later.

And in my experience, that’s what makes change stick.

Reflection prompts for leaders

• Where have we designed change about people rather than with them?
• What assumptions are we making about how work actually happens day to day?
• If this change succeeded, what would be measurably different in six months?

Practical next steps

If change in your organisation feels slow or harder than it should be, it’s often because misalignment or unclear expectations are getting in the way, not because people are resistant.

Before designing the next initiative, it can be useful to pause and understand what’s really happening beneath the surface.

You may find these free resources helpful:

• Mini Team Diagnostic – a short pulse to identify where clarity, alignment or momentum may be slipping
• Team Troubleshooting Checklist – a practical prompt to assess what’s getting in the way before designing your next change step
• Role Clarity Cheat Sheet – to help teams understand what “good” looks like and reduce friction

These tools won’t give you “the answer”, but they will help you ask better questions - which is where effective co-design always starts.

Want support applying this in your organisation?

If this article raised questions or confirmed challenges you’re already seeing, I support leaders and teams to diagnose what’s really happening, co-design practical solutions, and embed change that sticks.