But here’s the hard truth: up to 70% of digital transformation initiatives fail (McKinsey & Company).
And the biggest reason?
It’s not the tech.
It’s the people.
A study by Boston Consulting Group found that companies focusing on the human side of change are 2.6 times more likely to succeed.
Why?
Because when employees feel excluded or overwhelmed, they resist—and resistance stalls progress.
Let’s talk about a real-world transformation gone wrong.
Lidl, the German retail giant, poured over €500 million into a large-scale ERP overhaul—only to scrap the entire project.
Ouch.
Why?
Employees and key stakeholders weren’t involved in shaping the new processes.
The system didn’t fit their ways of working, and resistance grew until the transformation was abandoned.
Lidl isn’t alone. Top-down change, especially when driven by consultants who don’t understand daily operations, is a recipe for failure.
If you’re leading a PLM transformation, here’s the most powerful strategy you can use:
Listen.
Most transformations fail because they start with a grand vision but lack human connection. Expensive consultants are often brought in, dazzling leadership with frameworks and roadmaps. But these strategies overlook a critical element: the people who actually make the transformation work.
When employees aren’t heard, they disengage.
A simple truth: People support what they help create.
When employees see their ideas and concerns reflected in the transformation, they don’t just accept change—they own it.
Many leaders worry that if they listen too much, they’ll lose control. Too many opinions, too many requests—it feels overwhelming.
But here’s the truth: Listening doesn’t mean giving up control. It means leading with empathy.
Empathy isn’t about agreeing with everyone. It’s about understanding where people are coming from and making space for their concerns. When people feel heard, they’re more likely to support change instead of resisting it.
A simple shift: Think of transformation as co-creation, not a top-down decision. When people help shape the change, they don’t resist it—they drive it forward.
Most digital transformations start with a plan. But the ones that actually succeed? They start with people.
Change isn’t something you impose—it’s something you build together. When employees feel heard and included, they don’t just accept change; they help drive it. This 5-step framework will help you tap into the collective wisdom of your team, uncover real challenges, and create a transformation that actually works.
Before diving into conversations, take time to understand the context. Who are the key influencers in your organization? Who naturally drives change? Who might resist it? These people will shape the success (or failure) of your transformation.
Start by identifying:
Have relaxed, informal conversations with these people. No pressure, no agenda—just listen.
This will help you understand concerns, motivations, and existing dynamics before launching into structured discussions.
Once you have a sense of the landscape, it’s time to ask the right questions. Design a questionnaire with 10-15 thoughtful questions organized into 3-4 categories.
Example categories:
Keep questions open-ended but focused. Your goal isn’t to get surface-level answers—it’s to spark real conversations that uncover valuable insights.
Now it’s time to talk.
Set up at least 10 conversations with key people you’ve mapped out.
These should be casual, open discussions where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
I personally use Miro to record responses. It’s easier to analyze later when you capture one idea per post-it. Plus, Miro’s AI clustering tool can help you group similar ideas, making trends easier to spot.
The key?
Listen more than you talk.
People will tell you exactly what’s needed—if you create the space for them to do so.
Now comes the magic—making sense of the insights.
Look for trends, recurring frustrations, and hidden opportunities.
To bring your findings to life:
At this stage, your goal isn’t to propose solutions yet—it’s to build alignment around the challenges. When influencers feel heard and involved, they’ll help drive the next steps.
Now it’s time to bring everyone together. Organize a workshop to go through the findings, connect them to the vision, and get people thinking about solutions.
Why this works:
Once you’ve discussed challenges and opportunities, turn them into action—make a plan with tangible steps that unite people and keep things moving forward.
The energy in the room will be huge. When people are part of shaping the transformation, they stop seeing it as something happening to them—and start seeing it as something they own.
One mistake leaders make?
Treating feedback as a one-time event.
To keep transformation alive, make these conversations a habit. I recommend holding feedback sessions at least once a year.
This isn’t just for the kickoff phase of your PLM transformation. You can use this approach when rolling out new functionality, redesigning a process, or even when you sense that momentum is fading. Regular conversations ensure that people stay engaged, challenges are addressed early, and your transformation keeps moving forward.
The more employees feel involved, the stronger your transformation will be. Because at the end of the day, people don’t resist change—they resist being left out of it.
