Change is a reality of human existence. The need for frequent change cannot be underscored, for by its virtue alone, excellence is achieved. It is in the nature of things to change; its inevitability is unavoidable. To survive, change is an absolute necessity. Confucius’ remark is apt: Only the wisest and the stupidest of men never change. Businesses must change faster than other economic participants to remain relevant and competitive.

To many, change is intimidating. The use of alternative methods of conducting business can be daunting, especially for those managers and leaders who are averse to risk. Change is a movement into unknown territory. Regardless of how well others in the marketplace may have used an alternative method, it offers no assurance that it will work as well for the new adventurer. Change can be effective only when there has been a proper assessment of the current environment, which must include highlighting the impediments that prevent growth.

Old guards in any organisation are the major stumbling block to change. “We have been doing it like this for decades” is an often-heard remark on the shop floor. A management that has acquired for itself the status of being a fixed asset of the institution will hardly ever look to change voluntarily. Faced with the challenges of the AI revolution and, more recently, DeepSeek, no organisation can afford to avoid using these technologies. Failure to adapt and change will waylay the institution.

Change is always faced with resistance. People in any environment are prone to fall into the trap of doing things in a given methodology. Managers with this attitude are actually provocateurs of stability of thought and action, for the wrong reason of being die-hard followers of norms, customs, and traditions. As a renowned scientist noted, doing the same things repetitively does not produce a different result. Supervisors who are slaves to the drudgery of the daily grind are usually individuals who resist change. In the continuity of existing practices, they find themselves relevant. Change, if embraced, can prove to be a death knell for their existence in the organisation.

Corporate executives wrongfully use the words “change” and “transformation” as being synonymous, which they are not. Change is a reaction to something and is invariably gradual, whereas transformation is a consequence of a premeditated, well-thought-out, and deliberate shift from one position to another. To better explain, change is more specific, like altering processes, systems, or procedures; shifting the entity’s culture, vision, or even the business model relates to transformation. Change managers are not necessarily transformational. Both transformation and change require different and unique skill sets.

If change is gradual, transformation is more radical and dramatic. Individuals or organisations can undergo a transformative phase, where the original state usually recedes to give rise to a completely different appearance or perspective. The global political scene did not merely change post-9/11; it transformed to allow for newer insights and significant changes in attitudes. Change does not guarantee transformation, whereas conversely, transformation will necessarily bring about change.

To bring about change and transformation, one must first become an agent of change; it is only when leaders and followers decide with conviction to move out of their comfort zones that true change can happen. The ability to recondition the thought process is a primary ingredient for ushering in change. Those who refuse to alter their thinking cannot produce change. “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change” (Albert Einstein).

Change and transformation are difficult for staff to accept and adapt to. The uncertainty that unfolds adds to the unsettling process. The idea must be sold to stakeholders that the need for change or transformation is to become more efficient, cost-effective, and ultimately more profitable. No matter how much change is disliked, it must be embraced to keep in step with the changing reality of the marketplace. There is no room for obstinacy or obduracy on the part of leadership or management to withhold the need to bring about total change and transformation of the organisation, if required. The decision must be made by management, not owners.

Transformational leaders are those who create a vision for followers and then guide the necessary change through inspiration and motivation. The quest to achieve long-term goals usually drives innovation, which, in turn, is the outcome of the character of transformational leadership. A leader transforms followers through their behaviour, inspiring them to achieve and perform beyond the horizons of stated budgets and perceived abilities. To initiate transformation, the decision must be made today—now and here—not in the future.

Sirajuddin Aziz
The writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Columnist.