Why do so many change initiatives struggle? The problem isn’t change itself – it’s how organizations manage it. Studies show that resistance, lack of leadership buy-in, and unclear communication are among the top reasons why transformation efforts fall short. Without a well-structured change management team, even the best initiatives risk failure.
To succeed, organizations need a structured, adaptable team that fosters engagement, drives adoption, and sustains change. A high-performing change management team relies on proven methodologies like Prosci’s ADKAR model, Kotter’s 8-step change model and Lewin’s 3-stage change model to ensure smooth transitions. By leveraging or combining elements from these approaches, organizations can minimize resistance and accelerate change.
This article explores key roles, leadership’s impact, and best practices to build a high-impact change management team that ensures lasting success.
Why does your change management team’s structure matter?
Organizational change succeeds when the right people, structure, and strategy are defined. A dedicated team ensures smooth transitions by guiding, supporting, and reinforcing change. Large companies may have formal change teams, while smaller organizations may distribute responsibilities across existing roles.
A strong change management team includes executive sponsors, champions, and communication advocates who drive engagement at all levels. Their role varies by project – whether implementing an ERP, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, or shifting to hybrid work. Clearly defining responsibilities ensures the right people influence, support, and reinforce change.
Key roles in a high-impact change team
While every organization structures its team differently, the following key roles are essential for effective change execution.
Steering committee
The steering committee oversees strategy, alignment, and risk management for large change initiatives. It includes senior leaders and key stakeholders.
Impact of the steering committee:
- Ensures changes align with business goals.
- Removes major roadblocks and secures funding.
- Provides high-level decision-making.
Executive sponsor
The executive sponsor drives strategic alignment between the steering committee and the project and secures resources. In large enterprises, this is often a C-suite leader. In SMBs, it may be a senior leader or influential employee.
Impact of the executive sponsor:
- Champions the change at leadership levels.
- Provides ongoing support and visibility.
- Removes roadblocks to execution.
In a digital transformation initiative, a VP of operations might take on this role, ensuring that business processes align with new technologies. In a company merger, a legal executive (e.g., general counsel) often serves as the executive sponsor, ensuring compliance and contractual alignment. Meanwhile, HR leads the workforce integration process, managing team transitions and cultural alignment.
Change management experts
These professionals design and implement structured change strategies. A blended approach using the Prosci ADKAR, Kotter, and Lewin models provides flexibility throughout the initiative.
Impact of change management experts:
- Develop tailored change strategies.
- Ensure readiness through planning and assessments.
- Monitor impact and adjust execution.
For maximum impact, change management experts should be integrated early into the process to drive strategy and readiness planning as well as be empowered to solicit and act upon real-time feedback.
Change champions
Mandates from leadership alone aren’t enough – employees need to see active engagement. Visible role models help guide them through the transition and reinforce new ways of working. Change champions play this critical role by connecting leadership’s vision with the everyday employee’s experience.
Change champions are trusted employees or managers across various teams. They may be middle managers, project leads, or even well-respected frontline employees who have strong peer influence. Their primary role is to support adoption by engaging their teams, addressing concerns, and reinforcing change behaviors. In large-scale change initiatives, these leaders are often charismatic, visible figures who rally around the goal.
Impact of change champions:
- Guide employees to adopt new processes.
- Act as role models for change.
- Detect resistance early and work with leadership to resolve concerns.
- Offer feedback to ensure effective implementation at all levels.
Change champions work closely with executive sponsors and change management experts to ensure the strategy is executed at the team level. They help translate high-level objectives into practical, actionable steps for employees.
How do change champions drive real impact? Let’s take a look at real-world scenarios. In an industrial company, a production manager might lead the adoption of new manufacturing methods. Similarly, in customer service, a change leader could be a supervisor leading agent training on a new request management platform.
Frontline employees
Staff members who are directly affected by the change must adapt their practices. Involving these employees early on is critical to minimize resistance and foster adoption. 23% of employees feel excluded from decisions related to change, leading to resistance and lack of ownership.
Impact of frontline employees:
- Provide real-world feedback for better execution.
- Help refine solutions before rollout.
- Build ownership and engagement.
An employee who participates in user acceptance testing contributes to improving new solutions before deployment. It is therefore essential to create spaces where employees can speak up, ask questions, and offer feedback. Additionally, recognizing employees’ efforts and patience throughout the process strengthens their commitment. Changes should be seen as a beneficial evolution, both for the organization and for the individual.
Communication champions
Effective communication during change isn’t just about the message—it’s also about who delivers it. Employees trust peers and direct managers more than top-down corporate announcements. That’s where communication champions come in.
Change communication champions are trusted employees who reinforce messaging at the ground level. They work alongside the formal communications team.
Impact of communication champions:
- Reinforce key messages.
- Encourage two-way communication.
- Strengthen trust by delivering information through familiar, credible sources.
While the communications team develops the overall messaging strategy, communication champions ensure:
- Messages are tailored for different audiences (executives need strategy; frontline employees need practical details).
- Information is delivered through trusted channels (team meetings, peer conversations, direct manager updates).
- Ongoing feedback is collected and shared with leadership to refine messaging.
Best practices for change communication champions
- Use multiple channels – Meetings, email, internal chats, and peer discussions.
- Encourage dialogue – Create space for employees to ask questions and express concerns.
- Monitor engagement – Track employee reactions and adjust messaging as needed.
How to define roles in your change management team
A clear role structure is essential for an effective change management team. Without well-defined responsibilities, confusion can slow progress, cause duplicated efforts, and reduce employee buy-in.
However, role definition varies significantly between small and large organizations. In smaller businesses, change management may be integrated into existing roles with informal, project-based responsibilities, while large enterprises generally have dedicated teams with specialized roles, requiring stronger alignment due to increased complexity.
Why do some organizations struggle to define roles?
Many organizations face role ambiguity in change management due to:
- Lack of centralized ownership – Change responsibilities may be spread across multiple teams without a clear leader.
- Unclear decision-making authority – Delays and inefficiencies arise when there is no clarity on who makes final calls.
- Resistance to formalizing roles – Some companies see change management as a temporary function, making them hesitant to establish dedicated roles.
How to clarify roles for a smoother transition
- Clearly define responsibilities upfront – Assign ownership to key roles and document expectations.
- Customize based on company size – SMBs should integrate roles within existing teams, while large enterprises should create structured change management units.
- Ensure role alignment with business objectives – Change roles should align with corporate strategy, HR, and leadership priorities.
By clearly defining roles, organizations improve accountability, reduce confusion, and enhance collaboration, ultimately leading to higher adoption rates and smoother change execution.
How to build awareness and desire for change
The success of a change project starts with building awareness and desire—the first two stages of the ADKAR model. Employees need to understand why change is happening (awareness) and feel motivated to support it (desire) before adoption can take place.
To gain employee buy-in, leaders must clearly communicate the reasons for change, its benefits, and its long-term impact. This is not just about forcing compliance but also about creating engagement, trust, and ownership across teams.
Encouraging employee engagement
Successful change isn’t just about how well employees adapt; it’s also about how well they are supported and motivated throughout the process. Organizations should measure success across multiple areas, including:
- Enablement – Do employees have the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to succeed?
- Adoption – Are employees actively using new systems, processes, or behaviors?
- Sustainment – Is the change lasting, or are teams reverting to old habits?
- Engagement – Are employees motivated and aligned with the transformation goals?
Creating a shared vision of change
To build awareness and desire, organizations need to connect the change to both business and individual benefits. Employees must see how the transformation positively impacts their daily work, career growth, and company success.
Here are key questions to address when shaping a compelling change vision:
- Why is this change happening now?
- What risks exist if no change is made?
- How will this change improve employees’ day-to-day work?
- What are the major phases of the change and their timeline?
- What challenges might arise, and how will they be addressed?
What is the role of leadership in change management?
Management plays a decisive role in the success of any change initiative. Leaders set the tone for engagement, reduce tensions, and foster cohesion by committing to the change from the outset. However, their role goes beyond simply promoting the transformation—they must actively embody it through their actions and communication.
Key responsibilities of management to support change
- Act as change advocates – Leading by example accelerates team buy-in.
- Clarify roles and responsibilities – A detailed plan with initiative owners sets expectations and reduces ambiguity.
- Anticipate potential challenges – Identify and address obstacles before they hinder progress.
- Ensure a smooth transition – Use key roles to guide and reassure employees.
- Communicate with transparency – Regular, clear communication builds trust and aligns teams with the change vision.
How to measure the success of a change initiative
Ensuring lasting change requires more than just implementation—it demands adoption, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability. By tracking and analyzing KPIs, organizations can identify gaps early. This helps assess goal alignment and determine if adjustments are needed to drive adoption and long-term success.
Tracking CRM adoption metrics
- Conduct pulse surveys and feedback sessions to assess employee sentiment.
- Monitor KPIs linked to change adoption (e.g., system usage rates, performance benchmarks).
- Engage change champions and frontline managers to identify resistance points and refine strategies.
Setting your change initiative up for success
A well-structured change management team is the cornerstone of any successful transformation project. Successful change initiatives rely on clearly defined roles, active leadership, and transparent communication to align teams and drive adoption. Applying these best practices not only reduces resistance but also optimizes the impact of transformations, ensuring a successful and sustainable transition.
Are you ready to drive meaningful transformation in your organization? Our change management experts provide the guidance, tools, and best practices needed to navigate change successfully. Contact us today to build a high-impact change management team that ensures long-term success.