The Four Layers of Successful Transformation: A Holistic Approach

Transformation is critical for any organisation looking to evolve and thrive, but it’s rarely straightforward. In fact, three significant challenges often stand in the way of success:

1. Too much advice, not enough clarity: The sheer volume of material on transformation, frameworks, theories, and methodologies can be overwhelming. With so many options, each shaped by the biases of specific professional disciplines, it’s hard to know what to follow or trust.

2. The “silver bullet” trap: Organisations often fall into the trap of searching for a single, magical solution. Whether it’s a new tool, framework, or process, treating all problems as if they can be solved with the same hammer typically leads to incomplete or unsustainable results. Transformation isn’t about quick fixes; it requires a nuanced and tailored approach.

3. Fragmentation and silos: Transformation efforts are frequently divided among different teams, each working in isolation. This lack of integration creates misalignment and inefficiencies, undermining the very outcomes transformation is meant to achieve.

The Complexity of Fragmentation

Although transformation is inherently complex and multi-faceted, it’s often approached in fragmented ways. Different professional disciplines focus on isolated aspects; strategy, operations, culture, or values, without recognising the essential interplay between them. But here’s the reality: successful change demands integration across all these layers. Without this integration, the benefits of transformation remain elusive, regardless of the effort invested in individual components.

One of the most common pitfalls we see is the assumption that simply delivering “something” operationally will automatically lead to the intended outcomes. A new system, process, or capability might be implemented, but without alignment across strategy, culture, and values, the expected results often fail to materialise. Transformation isn’t just about delivery; it’s about ensuring that what’s delivered is embraced, supported, and positioned to create meaningful, lasting impact.

Why This Doesn’t Happen

Achieving the intended outcomes from large-scale change often spans three to four executive functions, yet these are rarely treated as interconnected. Even more problematic, culture and values work is almost never aligned with transformation programmes, despite being critical to their success.

Adding to the challenge, each profession tends to approach change through its own lens:

• HR teams focus on dialogue and relationships, often using Organisational Development (OD) approaches.

• Delivery teams prioritise milestones and operational metrics through PMO methodologies.

• Transformation teams may incorporate change management frameworks, but these are rarely integrated with the other approaches.

The result? Disjointed efforts that fail to deliver on the promise of transformation.

A New Approach: Integration Across Layers

Through our work, we’ve learned that delivering successful transformation requires a structured, layered approach. Each layer; strategy, operational capability, culture, and values, plays a vital role, and it’s their integration that determines whether transformation efforts succeed or fall short.

During a pivotal session with Ed Cook, we were able to refine his thinking into a practical framework: the four layers of successful transformation. This framework highlights how the layers must work together to achieve sustainable, actionable change. It’s not enough to focus on one piece of the puzzle; transformation is about bringing all the pieces together into a cohesive, holistic approach.

Let us walk you through this framework and show you how it can unlock the full potential of your transformation efforts.

Layer 1: Strategy

The first layer ensures that the transformation is strategically aligned with the organisation's future success. This is the "why" of transformation. Without a clear strategic vision, transformation risks becoming a directionless exercise. To succeed, this layer draws heavily on tools from strategy development and market analysis, ensuring the transformation serves the organisation's long-term goals and relevance.

Key Questions:

• Is this transformation critical to our future success?

• How does it align with our strategic priorities?

Layer 2: Operational Capability

The second layer focuses on the nuts and bolts of the change itself, the operational capability being introduced or transformed. This is the domain of project and programme management, but it must also incorporate an operational perspective for sustainable success.

Too often, transformations focus solely on delivering projects without considering how the new capabilities will function in the real world. By integrating the operational lens, you ensure that what’s built today will thrive tomorrow.

Key Questions:

• Are we balancing delivery with operational sustainability?

• Is our project management toolkit connected to the strategic layer?

Layer 3: Culture

Here’s where things get really tricky. Culture is the messy middle ground where many transformations falter. Why? Because culture is stubborn. It’s influenced by organisational development and change management, and without careful alignment of behaviours and habits, even the most well-planned transformations can fall short of their potential or fail entirely.

As Peter Drucker famously said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast". That’s not just a clever quote; it’s a reality. If your transformation doesn’t account for the complexity of culture, you risk being devoured by it.

Key Questions:

• Have we aligned cultural behaviours with our transformation goals?

• Are we addressing resistance to change head-on?

Layer 4: Values and Beliefs

The deepest and most complex layer is values and beliefs. Attempting to change these is a monumental task, it’s slow, challenging, and often impractical in the short term. Instead of forcing change, this layer focuses on aligning the transformation with the existing values and beliefs of both staff and customers.

For example, relocating a bank’s headquarters will require a vastly different approach than relocating a social care provider. Why? Because the values and beliefs of the people involved differ fundamentally. Success in this layer often hinges on organisational psychology and OD (organisational development) toolkits.

Key Questions:

• Are we framing the transformation in ways that resonate with our people?

• How are we respecting and leveraging existing values and beliefs?

Integration Is Key

It’s tempting to think that simply aligning professionals from these disciplines will lead to a seamless transformation. But experience has taught us otherwise. True success requires an integrated approach, with transformation teams that have skills spanning multiple layers and deep respect for the various professional perspectives.

What This Means for You

Take a moment to reflect on your transformation efforts. Ask yourself:

• Are we addressing all four layers?

• Are these layers working in harmony?

How We Can Help

Navigating transformation isn’t easy. The complexity, the overwhelming volume of material, and the conflicting advice from countless experts can leave you unsure of how to proceed. That’s where we come in.

Unlike many who promise “silver bullet” solutions or try to sell you a one-size-fits-all model, we take a completely different approach. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter frameworks because transformation is never the same for any two organisations. Instead, we use a proven framework that provides the structure and tension needed for success, while remaining flexible enough to adapt to your unique context.

What sets us apart is our expertise across all four critical domains of transformation: strategy, operational capability, culture, and values. We understand how these layers interact and have the skill to tie them together seamlessly. Whether it’s aligning your strategic goals, ensuring operational delivery is sustainable, embedding cultural change, or respecting and leveraging values, we know how to draw on the right tools at the right time to deliver results.

Transformation is complex, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. With our integrated, adaptable, and holistic approach, we’ll help you cut through the noise, avoid the pitfalls of quick fixes, and achieve meaningful, sustainable change.

Let’s work together to unlock the full potential of your transformation. Reach out today, and let’s start building the future you envision.