The 3 ‘Cs’ of Lasting Change
August 27, 2026 | By David M. Wagner
We’ve all heard the pithy sayings before: “Change starts with you.” “Be the change you want to see.”
And it’s true: as a leader, bringing about change will almost always require you to play a central, driving role.
But no organization has ever transformed just because its leadership decided change was necessary.
I’ve told the story before of the CEO I worked under who unilaterally decided that Speed, Adaptability, and Risk Taking were going to be essential attributes of our company – despite the organization’s culture being the opposite of those three things.
(To make a long story short, that change initiative was a resounding failure.)
There are so many different reasons you might push your team to change:
You see an unmet opportunity to expand your mission impact
You recognize that your organization needs to evolve to stay relevant – or even alive
You sense that the organization has drifted from its core purpose
A specific crisis or sudden change is forcing you to adapt
Or simply, you know your team can do better
Whatever your motivation, change might start with you, but it can’t end there.
There are three things you need for change to take hold and last in your organization. And conveniently, they all start with ‘C.’
Clarity
“Where are we going?”
That can be such a difficult question to answer – but it’s the most important one when you’re leading your team to change.
Your team can’t help unless they understand the objective, your vision for where you’re taking the organization.
In the nonprofit sector, organizations often rely on vision and mission statements to describe that future direction. But often, those statements are insufficient – or ambiguous enough to be open to many different interpretations.
And vision and mission statements don’t tell the story of why change is necessary.
To build clarity that compels action, get explicit about what needs to change – and why.
Under a different CEO, the same company I mentioned before enacted some painful budget cuts. But before they did, the leaders laid out a clear, compelling case for why the cuts were necessary – and the dire consequences if those steps weren’t taken. There may have been some grumbling, but the whole organization eventually embraced the changes as essential.
Don’t try to embark on any change initiative without first getting clear about your definition of what “success” will look like in the end.
Commitment
“Who’s with me?”
As important as a clear direction is for change, how that direction is chosen is just as important.
You’ll go much further if your team is committed to a shared vision of change, rather than merely compliant with your directives.
People will be more invested in change if they feel like they are a part of the decisions from the start.
Here’s a range of options for including your team in the process:
Present your plan (and the analysis that led to it) and ask for feedback
Gather input from your team (listening sessions, interviews, surveys, etc.) and present a plan that addresses their feedback
Present options to your team and put it to a vote
Involve your team in key steps: assessing the current situation, envisioning an improved future for the organization, and/or drafting the plan to realize that future
Your choices will depend on the size and structure of your team, the level of agreement/disagreement about what needs to change, and who needs to be fully bought-in for your plans to succeed.
Again, simply telling your team what your vision and reasons for change are doesn’t mean they’ll buy in. Foster their commitment by engaging them early and often in the key decisions.
Capacity
“How will we get there?”
This is one of the most often overlooked hangups to successful change: recognizing that change isn’t free.
It takes effort. Time. Oversight. Willpower. Reinforcement.
Even organization-wide buy-in to a new way of working won’t bring about change unless you also Invest in your team’s capacity to implement that change.
Since “capacity” can mean many things, here are some examples of investments your change plan may require:
Project management – When your change plan has a lot of moving parts, it helps to have tools to keep track of key tasks and information and people versed in overseeing projects.
Leadership development – Your organizational transformation could depend on the ability of your leadership team to continually reinforce your plan and inform and inspire your staff. Investing in their leadership capacity is a smart move.
Professional development – More generally, members of your team may require new skills and knowledge to support a different way of operating. Invest in their training, whether through in-house skill building or outside classes.
Policies and procedures – Realizing your intended changes might require codifying new ways of working (or existing, undocumented work flows) to improve consistency, reduce risk, or enforce important behaviors.
Infrastructure – Realizing your vision might require investment in tools and systems to support new processes, better manage data, or improve your team’s operations.
Headcount – You vision for the future might just require “more” – especially more hands to do the work, whether as employees, contractors, interns, volunteers, or some other arrangement.
The best way to create change to anticipate the investments that will be required (not all of which cost money!) and commit the relevant resources up front.
The recipe for changing your organization isn’t a secret. Clarity of vision, commitment by your team, and investments in the capacity to execute will position your team for lasting, successful change.
It should come as no surprise that each of these attributes is part of the approach I bring to strategy development and strategic planning with my clients. If you’re considering a major change for your organization, let’s chat about how I can help you take the steps to get there.