The Business Transformation Podcast

๐Ÿš€ Why Most Transformations Fail: Mark Graban on Psychological Safety, Lean Thinking & Real Change


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โœจ Ready to stop your transformation from becoming another statistic? In this lively episode, host Heath Gascoigne sits down with global Lean thinker and Shingo Award-winning author Mark Graban for a no-BS conversation about why most business transformations flopโ€”and what you can do differently! ๐Ÿ’ฅ

Mark shares over 20 years of insights from the trenches of Lean, healthcare, and operational excellence across the US, UK, and beyond. Together, we unpack:

  • The real reasons 70% of transformations fail (hint: it's not just tech!) ๐Ÿ’ก
  • Why swapping systems โ‰  transformation ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธโžก๏ธ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ
  • How "psychological safety" is the #1 lever for real change ๐Ÿง ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ
  • The danger of "change management theater" ๐ŸŽญ
  • Why leaders must move from "doing" to "facilitating" ๐Ÿ™Œ
  • How to actually create buy-in (not just "make people feel involved") ๐Ÿค
  • The step most sponsors want to skip (and why it dooms projects) โฉ๐Ÿ’ฅ
  • Mark's personal lessons: what he wishes he knew 20 years ago ๐Ÿ“š

Whether you're leading digital, cultural, or operational changeโ€”or you want to avoid the classic trapsโ€”this episode is packed with real-world lessons, frameworks, and actionable takeaways.

๐Ÿ†• BONUS: Is your organization ready for the AI revolution?

Take our brand new, FREE AI Transformation Readiness Scorecard and get your custom report in minutes: ๐Ÿ‘‰ https://hoba.tech/scorecards/ai-transformation-readiness/ ๐Ÿšฆ

Chapters & Timestamps

(Click to jump!)

  • 00:00 โ€“ Welcome & Guest Intro ๐Ÿ‘‹
  • 03:16 โ€“ Why "Transformation" Fails: The Truth Behind the Stats ๐Ÿ“‰
  • 09:00 โ€“ Tech Upgrades vs. Real Change ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿ”„
  • 12:28 โ€“ Psychological Safety: The Missing Link ๐Ÿง ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ
  • 17:29 โ€“ Silos, Culture & Breaking Down Barriers ๐Ÿงฑ
  • 22:09 โ€“ The Consultant's Real Role: Frameworks, Not Formulas ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ
  • 26:07 โ€“ Why Jumping to Solutions Kills Projects ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿ’ฅ
  • 32:25 โ€“ When Sponsors Want to Skip Steps โฉ๐Ÿ˜ฌ
  • 39:22 โ€“ Buy-In vs. Change Theater ๐ŸŽญ
  • 45:15 โ€“ Champions, Ownership & Real Participation ๐Ÿ†
  • 50:49 โ€“ Vision, Assumptions & Lessons Learned ๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธ
  • 58:27 โ€“ What Mark Would Do Differently: Top 2 Lessons ๐Ÿ”‘
  • 1:02:19 โ€“ Modeling, Encouraging & Rewarding the Right Behaviors ๐ŸŒฑ
  • 1:04:36 โ€“ Wrap Up, Resources & Your AI Readiness Scorecard! ๐Ÿ
Listen Now:

๐ŸŽง Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube (Add links when published)

๐Ÿ”ฅ Key Takeaways
  • Most change fails at the people layerโ€”not the tech, not the process ๐Ÿ‘ฅ
  • Psychological safety is the secret sauce for innovation & transformation ๐Ÿง โœจ
  • Don't "hit people with the book"โ€”co-create solutions & build real engagement ๐Ÿ“˜๐Ÿค
  • Why "change champions" and cross-functional teams are your best asset ๐Ÿ†
  • Mark's must-read: The Four Stages of Psychological Safety by Timothy R. Clark ๐Ÿ“–
๐Ÿ‘‰ Ready for AI?

๐Ÿšฆ Find out if your org is ready for AI transformation in 5 minutes: https://hoba.tech/scorecards/ai-transformation-readiness/ Get your custom AI readiness reportโ€”FREE.

Connect with Mark Graban

๐ŸŒ MarkGraban.com ๐Ÿ”— LinkedIn ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Lean Blog Interviews Podcast ๐Ÿ“š Books: Lean Hospitals, The Mistakes That Make Us, Healthcare Kaizen, Practicing Lean

Spread the Word!

#BusinessTransformation #LeanThinking #PsychologicalSafety #OrganizationalChange #ChangeLeadership #DigitalTransformation #ContinuousImprovement #ChangeManagement #HealthcareTransformation #AIReadiness #TransformationPodcast #HobaTech

๐ŸŒŸ Enjoyed the show?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with your team! And don't forget your free AI Readiness Scorecard: https://hoba.tech/scorecards/ai-transformation-readiness/ ๐Ÿšฆ

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The Business Transformation PodcastBy Heath Gascoigne


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