“I would recommend Estu programmes to any business leader interested in transformation.”

Chris Tredget, Managing Director, Willmott Dixon

Organisational transformation is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s a necessity. But despite the urgency, most transformations don’t deliver on their promise. A recent Harvard Business Review study (“Transformations That Work”, May2024) found that only 22% of large-scale transformation efforts fully achieve their intended outcomes.

So, what separates the successes from the rest?

The answer, according to the study, lies not in strategy documents or tech investment alone – but in aligning strategic goals with employee mindsets and behaviours. The most successful transformations are those that embed change at every level of the organisation, empowering people to adopt new ways of working, thinking, and leading.

Behaviour Change is the Missing Link

The HBR research, based on an in-depth analysis of over 300 global transformation efforts, reveals a clear pattern: transformation efforts succeed when they combine clear strategic direction with practical, people-focused execution. In other words, it’s not just about setting goals– it’s about helping people behave differently to achieve them.

The study found that organisations were 2.5 times more likely to succeed when they invested in building new capabilities and changing daily habits, rather than simply communicating new objectives from the top.

“The difference between transformation that fades and transformation that lasts is behaviour.”
— Harvard Business Review, 2024

This insight reinforces a principle that Estu Global has long championed: real transformation is lived, not launched.

Estu’s Role in Sustainable Change

At Estu, we support organisations in building the human side of transformation – one mindset, one behaviour, one team at a time.

Our programmes are designed not just to inform, but to embed new ways of working through hands-on, experiential learning. Whether it’s a short, high-impact Skills Bootcamp or a full 18-month leadership apprenticeship, each course is tailored to develop capabilities that support lasting change.

• Skills  Bootcamps (3 months) : Spark immediate culture shifts by introducing practical tools in areas like innovation, customer experience, or sustainability – all backed by public funding and praised by Ofsted for being “exceptional.”
• 12-Month Programmes: Provide sustained behavioural development, with on-the-job projects that directly contribute to business transformation goals.
• 18-Month Commercial Innovation & Change Leadership Apprenticeship: Aligns leadership growth with strategic transformation by developing leaders who can think differently, lead collaboratively, and execute change effectively – all while working in-role.

This learning-by-doing approach is exactly what HBR found to be most effective: giving employees the space, structure, and support to try new behaviours, reflect, and improve.

Moving Beyond Strategy Decks

Too many transformation efforts focus on planning and communication, but fail to invest in the people delivering the change. The HBR study calls for a new model: one where change is co-created, practiced, and owned across the organisation.

Estu makes this possible – equipping organisations with scalable, funded programmes that shift mindsets and unlock potential at every level.

If your transformation strategy is ready, now’s the time to activate it through your people.

Let’s move beyond the deck. Let’s build the behaviours that make transformation stick.
Discover how Estu can support your change journey.

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