Change Management Reality Check: Doing the Thing Is Easy. Getting People to Buy In Is the Hard Part.

Most nonprofits do not struggle with what to do.

They struggle with getting people to agree, align, and move at the same time.

New CRM. New program model. New strategic plan. New org chart. On paper, the solution is often clear. The implementation plan exists. The budget is approved. Leadership is ready to go.

And then everything slows down.

Staff resist. Board members question timing. Long-tenured team members quietly disengage. Momentum evaporates.

This is not a failure of strategy. It is a failure of change management.

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The Problem: We Treat Change Like a Task, Not a Human Process

In nonprofits, change is often framed as a checklist.

• Select tool.

• Approve plan.

• Announce decision.

• Expect compliance.

When leaders focus only on doing the thing and skip the work of helping people understand, accept, and trust the thing, resistance shows up. Sometimes loudly. More often quietly. Quiet resistance is the most dangerous kind.

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The Opportunity: Buy-In Is Built, Not Announced

Buy in happens when people can answer three questions honestly: Why is this change necessary right now? How does this affect my role, my workload, and my sense of value? What support will I actually receive during the transition?

Actionable Strategy #1: Separate the Decision From the Adoption

Leaders often assume that once a decision is made, the work is mostly done. In reality, that is when the hardest work begins.

Name the decision clearly and early and explicitly state what is not changing to reduce anxiety. Build a separate adoption plan that focuses on people, not tasks. Who needs to understand this change deeply? Who needs to support it publicly? Who may feel threatened or sidelined?

Actionable Strategy #2: Translate Strategy Into Personal Impact

If you do not explain how a change affects day-to-day work, people will fill in the blanks themselves, usually with worst-case scenarios. For each major stakeholder group, answer in plain language: What will be different in my daily work? What will stay the same? What new skills or expectations will I need? What support will I get while learning?

Actionable Strategy #3: Identify the Real Influencers Early

Every organization has informal leaders. The people others trust, follow, and watch closely. If they are confused or unconvinced, the change will fail regardless of leadership alignment.

Identify 3 to 5 trusted internal influencers and bring them in early, before public rollout. Ask for honest feedback and listen without defensiveness.

If they feel heard, they often become your strongest advocates. If they feel ignored, they become silent blockers.

Actionable Strategy #4: Expect Resistance and Plan for It

Resistance does not mean the change is wrong. It means people are processing loss. Normalize discomfort in leadership messaging and create structured spaces for questions and concerns. Respond with clarity, not reassurance alone.

Avoid phrases like: “This is not a big change.” “Everyone will be fine.” and “We just need people to get on board.” Those statements shut down trust.

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Conclusion: Change Succeeds at the Speed of Trust

Doing the thing is often the easiest part. Getting people to believe in it, understand it, and commit to it is where leadership actually shows up.

Within 30 days, you can map stakeholders and influencers, clarify personal impact by role and build an adoption plan that centers people, not just outcomes.

If your last major initiative stalled, do not assume the idea was flawed. More often, the change was under-managed.

Reach out to Phoenix Fire or join Spark for additional resources, tips and support from strategists and peers who have been on both sides of successful change management campaigns. 

Strong strategy gets you to the starting line. Strong change management gets you across the finish line. Clarity first. Trust next. Then execution.