McKinsey's own research reveals that 70 percent of complex, large-scale change programs don't reach their stated goals. Meanwhile, Gallup tells us that 75 percent of workers worldwide report low engagement levels, costing the global economy a staggering $9 trillion annually. So what's going wrong? And more importantly, how do we fix it?
Here's a scene that plays out in boardrooms everywhere: External consultants swoop in, present impressive slide decks with their strategic recommendations, collect their hefty checks, and then... disappear. They leave your teams to implement complex changes without the actual know-how to drive transformation.
In today's world of relentless change and multiple simultaneous challenges, your top talents don't just need knowledge – they need know-how. And you can only develop know-how by doing.
This is precisely why conventional leadership development programs offer little value for most businesses. Sending leaders to prestigious institutions to learn from backward-looking case studies isn't cutting it anymore. What's the use of studying how Netflix disrupted Blockbuster in 2010 when your people need to drive AI implementation in 2025?
The DO grew out of conversations with over 50 business owners, CEOs, and leading scientists who were frustrated with traditional executive education. Their feedback pushed us to pioneer a methodology that places top talents squarely in the driver's seat of change.
Instead of passive learning, we get your people to roll up their sleeves and tackle real-world challenges facing your organization. And the results are kind of amazing:
Your people learn transformation skills while actually implementing your strategy
We've seen sustainability innovations for airlines, social impact solutions for telecom companies, and new AI use cases in the financial sector – all created by program participants working on real challenges.
You build sustainable change capacity
Participants don't just solve the current problem; they develop a mindset and toolkit they can apply to future challenges. Our partner companies report NPS scores that routinely outperform traditional training programs.
Your motivated employees become your strategy champions
Instead of those endless rounds of internal communication trying to sell your new direction, you turn key employees into advocates. We've successfully supported both carve-outs and new strategic directions for century-old companies using this approach.
For over a decade, I've seen these techniques transform organizations across industries from mobility and retail to energy, food, supply chains, and life sciences. Here's what works:
Design talent development around YOUR business challenges
Forget generic case studies about companies nothing like yours. Use your learning space as an experimentation lab where participants find solutions to problems they've experienced firsthand.We've seen sustainability innovations for airlines, social impact solutions for telecom companies, and new AI use cases in the financial sector – all created by program participants working on real challenges.
Co-create with your people
Want buy-in? Let your top talents influence the program design. People support what they help create. It unlocks their expertise, fosters unity around common purpose, and dramatically improves long-term success rates.Participants don't just solve the current problem; they develop a mindset and toolkit they can apply to future challenges. Our partner companies report NPS scores that routinely outperform traditional training programs.
Use hands-on methods that teach by doing
The skills needed to turn strategy into action can't be learned from a PowerPoint deck – only through practice.
Think of employee engagement as building a movement
The more you create mechanisms for all employees to contribute actively to the change (even in small ways), the more engaged and satisfied your people will be.The skills needed to turn strategy into action can't be learned from a PowerPoint deck – only through practice.
When you merge learning and implementation – when you develop your people while they develop your business – magic happens. Engagement soars, transformation accelerates. And suddenly, that dismal 70% failure rate for change initiatives doesn't apply to you anymore.
