Change Management is Hard and Incredibly Important.

The Lippitt-Knoster Model: Why Change Falls Apart (and How to Fix It)

Change is hard. Anyone who’s ever tried to roll out a new system, shift a sales motion, or even get their toddler to try broccoli knows this. But in organizations, change fails for very predictable reasons and that’s where the Lippitt-Knoster Model comes in.

Developed in the 1980s, the Lippitt-Knoster Model breaks down the five critical elements needed to successfully manage complex change: Vision, Skills, Incentives, Resources, and Action Plan. Miss one, and the whole thing unravels.

Here’s how it plays out:

• No Vision = Confusion

  • If people don’t understand why the change is happening or where it’s leading, they’re left spinning. They might keep doing the old way because the new way doesn’t make sense.

• No Skills = Anxiety

  • Even if the team is bought in, they’ll panic if they don’t feel equipped. Training, role clarity, and coaching matter as much as the strategy itself.

• No Incentives = Resistance

  • People need a reason to care. This isn’t just about money, it’s about recognition, growth opportunities, even the removal of day-to-day frustrations.

• No Resources = Frustration

  • Nothing kills momentum faster than asking a team to do more with less. If you want the change to stick, back it with time, tools, and budget.

• No Action Plan = False Starts

  • A change effort without milestones and accountability is just a big idea in a deck. The plan has to spell out who’s doing what, by when, and how success will be measured.

When all five are present, you create the conditions for alignment and execution.

I’ve seen this model play out across sales teams, nonprofits, startups, and even at home. You can usually diagnose where change is failing by spotting which piece is missing. Are people confused? Probably a vision problem. Overwhelmed? Likely a skills gap. Dragging their feet? Look at incentives.

The Lippitt-Knoster Model doesn’t make change easy. But it does make it clear. And clarity is often the first step to moving forward.