How to Effectively Sustain Change in Projects and Programs
Episode 5 of the Applied Change Management podcast
During delivery, there’s structure, governance and attention. But once the project quietens and responsibility shifts into business-as-usual, that’s when drift, workarounds and inconsistent application can begin even if the change itself was strong.
In this episode, I explain:
Why sustainment is vulnerable when delivery pressure reduces
The impact of change fatigue and saturation
How leadership gaps appear once a project is seen as “finished”
Why cultural barriers and strategic missteps affect what sticks
The difference between momentum and stability
The key questions that surface what’s holding and what’s quietly slipping
Why metrics must focus on behaviour and outcomes
How to work with line managers during the sustain phase
What resistance during sustainment is really showing you
Sustainment isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about observing carefully, asking the right questions, using focused metrics, and making deliberate adjustments so the change genuinely becomes “how things are done.”
Download the Sustain Phase checklist at:
https://www.implementationworks.com