As this year is coming to an end you're probably planning your 2026 initiatives. New tools, new processes, maybe a whole new sales methodology. But here's a sobering stat: one in three change programs fail.
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The reason? Most companies skip the critical early stages and jump straight to training. They roll out expensive tech stacks, mandate new processes, and then wonder why their teams revert to the old way of doing things within weeks.
Dina Berger, Principal Sales Enablement Lead for Premium Support at Amazon Web Services with over 11 years in enablement, has led countless organizational change initiatives. According to her insights, there's a proven framework that actually works. And if you're planning any changes for 2026, you need to understand it before you invest a single dollar.
In this article, we'll break down the four-stage framework for change management that gets results, explore why most organizations get it wrong, and give you a practical roadmap for implementing change that sticks in the new year.
Before we dive into the solution, let's understand the problem. According to Dina, the failure of change programs isn't about the quality of the tools or training. It's about the process.
Most organizations follow this flawed approach: leadership decides on a change, purchases a solution, and immediately starts training people on how to use it. They skip the foundational work of building clarity and alignment. The result? Wasted investments in tools nobody uses and transformation initiatives that fall flat.
Think about the last major change initiative at your company. Did leadership take time to build a compelling case for why the change mattered? Did they get buy-in from managers and frontline teams before rolling out training? Or did they jump straight to implementation and hope for the best?
The reality is that change isn't just about teaching people new skills. It's about shifting behaviors, mindsets, and deeply ingrained habits. And that requires a strategic, structured approach.
Dina's framework consists of four critical stages that must happen in order. Skip even one, and you're setting yourself up for failure.
Before anything else, you need clarity. This is the foundation of all successful change initiatives.
At this stage, you're answering four fundamental questions:
As Dina explains, this stage is no different than selling to a client. You need to make the case for why the shift matters. If your team doesn't understand the "why" behind the change, they won't be motivated to adopt it.
For example, if you're implementing a new sales enablement platform in 2026, clarity means articulating the specific problems your current system creates, the measurable outcomes you expect from the new solution, and the urgency of making this change now rather than later.
Without this clarity, even the best tools will gather dust.
This is where most leaders rush through, and it's the costliest mistake you can make.
Alignment is about creating a change coalition. You need to work with managers who influence others, share your vision with leadership, get feedback from the field, and build change agents within teams.
Too often, organizations treat alignment as a checkbox. They announce the change in an all-hands meeting and assume everyone's on board. But real alignment requires ongoing conversation, addressing concerns, and genuinely incorporating feedback.
Think of alignment as building your internal sales team for the change. These are the people who will champion the new way of working when you're not in the room. Without them, even the best training won't deliver results.
Only after you've established clarity and alignment should you start training people on the new way of working.
Effective sales enablement at this stage includes:
This is where AI sales coaching tools like SellMeThisPen can make a real difference. Instead of one-off training sessions, sales reps can practice new approaches through AI roleplays, get instant feedback, and continuously refine their skills before applying them with real prospects.
But remember, training alone isn't enough. Which brings us to the final stage.
Ensuring people actually change their behavior is the hardest part of any change initiative. This is where the rubber meets the road.
To drive adoption, you need to:
Completion rates tell you who attended training. Adoption metrics tell you who's actually doing things differently. The difference is critical.
For instance, if you've implemented a new sales methodology, don't just track who completed the training. Track whether sales reps are using the new discovery questions in their calls, whether they're following the new qualification process, and whether their win rates are improving.
As you're planning initiatives for the new year, watch for these warning signs:
If you see these patterns emerging in your planning process, pump the brakes. Going back to fix your foundation now will save you months of wasted effort and thousands of dollars in failed initiatives later.
Here's a practical checklist for any change you're planning for 2026:
Before you invest in any new tool or process:
Before you roll out any training:
As you implement:
After launch:
Planning for 2026 is exciting. You've got new goals, new tools, and renewed energy to drive your team forward. But before you jump into implementation, take the time to build a solid foundation.
One in three change programs fail because organizations skip critical early stages. Don't let your 2026 initiatives become another statistic. Follow Dina Berger's four-stage framework: build clarity, gain alignment, enable effectively, and drive adoption.
Remember, change isn't a one-time event. It's an iterative process that requires ongoing refinement and reinforcement. Plan for it, resource it, and commit to seeing it through.
The organizations that win in 2026 won't be the ones with the best tools. They'll be the ones with the best change management process. Start building yours now.
In this episode of SellMeThisPen Podcast, Michael and Dina dive deep into why so many change initiatives fail and what sales leaders can do differently. They discuss the four-stage framework for effective change management, how to build alignment before training, and why iteration is critical to long-term success.
Dina Berger is the Principal Sales Enablement Lead for Premium Support at Amazon Web Services. With over 11 years of experience in enablement, she's led numerous organizational change initiatives with a focus on alignment and sustainable adoption. She brings real-world expertise on what actually works when transforming sales teams.
