In this episode of The Problem with B2B Marketing, Kevin Sutherland is joined by Michelle Booth, former head of marketing strategy & innovation at NatWest, and former head of Growth & innovation at Lloyds, now on Sabbatical studying performance at Central St Martins to talk about the challenge of making real change happen inside organisations.

Episode Summary

Change may be constant, but making it happen is another matter. Whether it’s digital transformation, cultural shifts, or just evolving the processes that make the business work, many organisations struggle to turn ambitions into real action, or adapt effectively to changing markets.

Michelle and Kevin discuss the realities of organisational change, why so many initiatives stall, and what makes the difference between a plan that gathers dust and one that actually delivers results. 

Key Talking Points

• The gap between strategy and execution - why change often gets stuck before it starts
• How internal culture and behaviours shape whether change succeeds or fails
• The risk of overcomplicating change with frameworks and methodologies
• Why people, not just processes, should be at the heart of any change initiative
• The balance between stability and adaptation - how to evolve without constant disruption
• The myth of agility - why moving fast doesn’t always mean making progress
• What B2B marketing’s brand vs. performance debate can teach us about long-term vs. short-term change
• Why small, targeted interventions often work better than large-scale change programs
• The power of asking the right questions - and why many organisations avoid the difficult ones
• How external consultants can be useful - but why they’re sometimes brought in just to confirm what leadership already thinks
• The tension between efficiency and growth - and why cutting costs isn’t the same as making progress

Change is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. So how do B2B businesses move from talking about change to actually making it happen? Tune in for a conversation about what works, what doesn’t, and why real change is often more subtle than it seems.

Links and further reading on the topics discussed:

On dealing with uncertainty: Brian Klass: Fluke - Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters On dealing with Uncertainty 

Dr Amy Edmondson “Right Kind of Wrong: The science of failing well”

Andre Spicer - Power and Pitfalls of Functional stupidity 

Geoffrey Moore Zone to Win (and Crossing the Chasm)

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