The human side of marketing transformation 

Change is nothing new in marketing, but the pace and complexity we’re facing today is. In the past year alone, more than half of all marketing teams have gone through restructuring. In larger organizations, that number jumps to nearly 70%. 

The reality of leading through change 

Behind these statistics are real people: marketing leaders try to navigate complex transitions while maintaining team cohesion and performance. These leaders face a multifaceted challenge: 

• Preserving team morale and wellbeing 

• Adopting and integrating new technologies 

• Meeting diverse needs across generational divides 

• Delivering consistent results amid shifting priorities 

• Managing their own resilience and work-life balance  

Often without a lot of support. Because let’s be honest, most leaders weren’t taught how to lead through transformation. Leaders were promoted because they were good at their jobs. But no one handed them the tools for guiding people through uncertainty. 

The human cost of unaddressed change 

When organizations lack the proper structure, culture, and leadership capability to navigate change effectively, the consequences can extend beyond missed KPIs: 

• Leaders experience isolation   

• Talented individuals disengage or leave altogether 

• Promising change initiatives falter despite significant investment 

• Teams become fragmented and lose their sense of shared purpose 

• Communication breakdowns lead to misalignment and duplicated efforts 

I observed it firsthand in my career as well. In one of my previous roles our Benelux cluster got integrated with France to form our new BeNeFra entity.  

These changes were implemented in a couple of weeks with very little communication, no involvement of the key stakeholders impacted or proper assessment of the effect on the teams and the processes.  

It led to unclear roles and responsibilities, duplication of processes putting more workload on the teams and hence a lot of frustration and stress. 

Real transformation needs more than strategy

Sustainable organizational change emerges when you address both strategic and human elements simultaneously. When teams understand, embrace, and ultimately embody new ways of working, transformation becomes part of their identity rather than an imposed directive. 

The data supports this: organizations that invest in developing their people during transitions see significantly better outcomes. Beyond the improvement in profitability (11% according to Gallup’s research) and doubled retention rates, more profound changes can be observed: 

• Leaders who rediscover their sense of purpose and confidence 

• Teams that develop remarkable resilience and problem-solving capacity 

• Organizations that retain their human core while embracing necessary evolution 

Taking the first step 

If you’re feeling the weight of leading transformation or sensing that your team has untapped potential that structural changes alone won’t release, let’s grab a (virtual) coffee. We would be more than happy to explore together whether coaching might offer a path forward for your unique situation. 

Reach out to connect with one of our certified coaches who understands both the marketing landscape and the human journey of transformation.