Most organizations are good at strategy. Many are capable of implementation. Far fewer succeed in the space between the two.
This “missing middle” is where transformation efforts often fail. Plans are approved, technologies are deployed, and initiatives launch—yet day-to-day behaviors remain unchanged. The result is frustration, fatigue, and unrealized value.
The missing middle is about adoption: how people interpret change, adjust their work, and build confidence over time. It requires attention to governance, incentives, and learning—not just milestones and deliverables.
Organizations that succeed here design transformation with adoption in mind from the start. They align leadership messages, clarify decision rights, and support teams as they navigate new expectations. They also measure progress in terms of behavior and capability, not just completion.
Transformation does not fail because people resist change. It fails when organizations underestimate what change requires.