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 Satellβrenowned 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 doesnβt just talk theoryβhe delivers proven frameworks for diagnosing resistance, earning βkeystone wins,β 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 Youβll 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 βchange fatigueβ 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 β Change fatigue, why most transformations burn out, and the mandate vs. movement dilemma
01:24 β The real reason change fails: resistance (what the data shows)
02:59 β The five categories of resistance: trust, fatigue, switching costs, incentives, and identity
09:33 β When (and when not) to engage with skeptics or βidentity-basedβ resistors
13:41 β The power of shared values (and how LGBTQ+ rights found common ground)
15:45 β Discovering shared purpose and values, what leaders must do first
18:25 β Why values come with real costs (IBMβs culture turnaround story)
23:50 β The myth of βconstant changeβ: why too many initiatives sink organizations
25:17 β Tipping points: you only need 10β20% early adopters to drive major change
28:30 β Why peer networks (not memos) spread new behaviors
30:20 β Donβt try to βboil the oceanβ: the keystone change playbook for rapid scaling
35:37 β Why you always start with enthusiasts (and iterate in small groups)
38:21 β What the Agile movement got wrong about signaling and shared values
39:48 β Why learning from failure is the backbone of every movement
48:01 β What Greg Satell has unlearned after two decades of studying change
54:37 β The power of belief: why βgoing where the energy isβ 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.