Why “Buy-In” Fails—and What Leaders Should Do Instead with Simon Davies

This episode is a practical deep dive into how organisations actually change—not just talk about it.

Simon Davies (20+ years in org design across Europe and North America) breaks down why most “transformation” efforts fail, and what leaders should do instead.

The core idea:

You have two choices when leading change—force compliance or build commitment.

Simon argues that while top-down decisions feel faster, they create a long tail of resistance. A collaborative approach may feel slower upfront, but leads to faster, smoother execution because people support what they help create.

The conversation explores:

Why “buy-in” is a flawed concept

How to involve people without losing control

What an operating model actually is (in plain English)

The real signs your organisation needs redesign

How to structure change so it doesn’t become chaos

If you’re leading a team or organisation and feeling friction, misalignment, or stalled progress—this episode gives you a practical lens to rethink how change happens.

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