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211: The 5 Hidden Forces That Quietly Kill Transformation Efforts ft. Greg Satell

Release Date:Β 

September 4, 2025

Release Date: Sept 4

In this actionable episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Damon Lembi sits down with Greg Satellβ€”renowned transformation expert and bestselling author of Cascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational Change. Together, they unpack why organizational change efforts so often fail, the psychology of resistance, and how bold leaders can actually get people aligned without creating change fatigue or endless internal battles. Greg doesn’t just talk theoryβ€”he delivers proven frameworks for diagnosing resistance, earning β€œkeystone wins,” and spreading transformation by movement, not mandate. Whether you're wrestling with skeptics or plotting your next big initiative, this episode is stacked with practical wisdom for anyone facing change at work or beyond.

What You’ll Learn:

  • The five types of resistance to change (and why only four are rational)
  • Why shared values, not just purpose, are the true foundation for successful transformation
  • How to spot β€œchange fatigue” and set limits on how much change your organization can handle
  • The secret to keystone wins: start small, iterate with enthusiasts, and scale from early successes
  • How movements, not mandates, create truly lasting organizational change
  • Strategies for handling skeptics and building momentum through peer networks instead of persuasion

In This Episode:

  • 00:00 – Change fatigue, why most transformations burn out, and the mandate vs. movement dilemma
  • 01:24 – The real reason change fails: resistance (what the data shows)
  • 02:59 – The five categories of resistance: trust, fatigue, switching costs, incentives, and identity
  • 09:33 – When (and when not) to engage with skeptics or β€œidentity-based” resistors
  • 13:41 – The power of shared values (and how LGBTQ+ rights found common ground)
  • 15:45 – Discovering shared purpose and values, what leaders must do first
  • 18:25 – Why values come with real costs (IBM’s culture turnaround story)
  • 23:50 – The myth of β€œconstant change”: why too many initiatives sink organizations
  • 25:17 – Tipping points: you only need 10–20% early adopters to drive major change
  • 28:30 – Why peer networks (not memos) spread new behaviors
  • 30:20 – Don’t try to β€œboil the ocean”: the keystone change playbook for rapid scaling
  • 35:37 – Why you always start with enthusiasts (and iterate in small groups)
  • 38:21 – What the Agile movement got wrong about signaling and shared values
  • 39:48 – Why learning from failure is the backbone of every movement
  • 47:24 – How 5 kids in a Belgrade cafΓ© sparked 50+ revolutions
  • 48:01 – What Greg Satell has unlearned after two decades of studying change
  • 54:37 – The power of belief: why β€œgoing where the energy is” matters most

About Greg Satell

Greg Satell is an internationally recognized expert on transformation, organizational change, and innovation. He is the author of Cascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational Change and a frequent keynote speaker on leadership in times of disruption. Greg has helped Fortune 500s, global nonprofits, and city governments rethink how they mobilize people and win lasting buy-in for bold ideas. He is known for blending research-backed frameworks with compelling real-world stories, from corporate turnarounds to civic revolutions.

Resources Referenced:

  • Greg’s website:
  • Connect with
  • Greg’s book: Cascades:
  • IBM turnaround and Lou Gerstner’s management:
  • by Francis Fukuyama
  • PwC research on change fatigue:

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