Episode 531: From Pushback to Buy-In: Change Management that Actually Works (Free)

Written by Cornelius Fichtner.

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Episode Summary

Project teams often finish on time and on budget only to face silent rejection from users. Change-management practitioner Mario González joins Cornelius Fichtner to map out the “adoption gap” and how to close it. Mario manages public-sector projects and brings fifteen years of leading agile transformations. He explains practical ways to detect early signs of low adoption, measure real usage with crisp KPIs, and listen for informal feedback that exposes hidden concerns. Listeners learn why classifying stakeholders as supporters, neutrals, or resistors creates clarity and how to move each group toward active buy-in.

Mario outlines simple tactics that keep momentum strong: run quick user readiness surveys, pair training with hands-on workshops, and celebrate early wins that prove value. A lively section breaks down his stakeholder radar approach, which helps teams visualize shifting attitudes throughout the project. Late in the episode, Cornelius shares a two-button meme (“Engage stakeholders early” versus “Avoid awkward conversation until go-live”) and Mario explains why the first button always wins.

The conversation closes with advice on sustaining support after launch. Mario urges project managers to track login trends, refresh training content, and keep feedback channels open so resistance cannot rebuild. The result is a practical checklist listeners can apply on their next change initiative.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The meaning of the “adoption gap” and why it threatens project value.
Three data points (KPIs, user surveys, informal feedback) that reveal real engagement.
How to use a Stakeholder Radar to tag supporters, neutrals, and resistors.
Conversation techniques that turn early resistance into future advocacy.
Post-launch steps that maintain momentum and prevent back-sliding.

Quotes from This Episode

"What if you delivered a successful project and then nobody uses it?" – Cornelius Fichtner
"The later you detect the adoption gap, the worse." – Mario González
"You might conduct a user readiness survey in order to know how they feel." – Mario González