Training and Change Management: The Real Reason Change Stalls in L&D

Author: JR Burch
January 17, 2025
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training and change management

“Who has the time?” 

It’s the phrase you hear at every level of an organization when the topic of leading and managing change in L&D comes up. 

The L&D designer? They don’t have time because they’re buried in course builds and urgent deliverables. Their team lead doesn’t have time either—too busy focusing on the influx of training requests. Directors and VPs are tied up balancing cross-departmental priorities. And the CLO? They’re drowning in back-to-back meetings, preparing reports, and attending strategy sessions, making transformation feel like an impossible luxury. 

So where is the time for training and change management

If no one has time to step back and rethink the way learning happens, how will anything ever improve?

The Real Problem with Training and Change Management: It’s Not Time—It’s Prioritization 

Let’s be clear: This isn’t really a time issue—it’s a prioritization issue. 

Time exists. It’s just being consumed by the wrong things. 

When L&D teams feel overwhelmed, it’s often because tactical tasks have taken over: meeting deadlines, pushing out content, and completing checklists. But that constant cycle of busyness leaves no space for long-term thinking or meaningful transformation. 

Urgency gets prioritized over impact.
Efficiency over effectiveness.
Completion over value.

And this cycle keeps teams in reaction mode

Instead of pausing to ask, Are we solving the right problems? Are we delivering real business results?—the focus stays on getting tasks done and moving on to the next project. 

Stuck in the Cycle: The Consequences of Poor Change Management in Training 

When “not having time” becomes the default, the impact spreads far beyond the L&D team: 

  • Surface-Level Learning: Courses are rushed out with minimal focus on behavior change or long-term impact.
  • Reactive Training: Teams respond to every request as a fire drill instead of guiding the strategy. 
  • Lack of Innovation: New ideas and creative approaches get sidelined in favor of the familiar. 
  • Burnout Without Results: Teams feel constantly busy but disconnected from actual business impact. 

And perhaps most concerning: Learners don’t get what they truly need. 

Because when everyone is just trying to keep up, the quality of learning and organizational change—and its ability to drive performance—suffers. 

Infographic - Training and Change Management

What Needs to Change? Leading and Managing Change in L&D

If everyone feels too busy for change, the uncomfortable truth is this: Nothing will change until you make time for it. 

Here’s how to start breaking the cycle of ineffective training and change management: 

1. Audit Workloads for Low-Impact Tasks 

Not all work contributes equally to success. To break free from the cycle of busyness, you need to identify which tasks consume the most time—and ask whether they’re actually driving results or just keeping people busy.

  • Stop creating content for the sake of content. Are you building courses that could be replaced with a job aid or a quick resource?
  • Question low-engagement work. If you’re creating content with no learner engagement or interaction, it’s time to rethink the approach.
  • Break old habits. Is your team doing work simply because “that’s how we’ve always done it”?
  • Reconsider unnecessary meetings. Are you having meetings that could be an email?
  • Avoid the endless prep cycle. And my personal favorite: Are you holding pre-meetings just to prepare for the meeting?

Real work happens in the space between meetings. If the meeting isn’t moving things forward, it’s just wasting time.

Clearing out these low-impact tasks isn’t about doing less—it’s about making space for work that truly matters.

2. Shift from Urgency to Impact 

It’s time to stop asking, “How fast can we deliver this?” and start asking, “What result are we trying to create?” Delivering quickly means nothing if the work isn’t making a meaningful impact.

  • Stop being the “order takers” of the business. Push back on reactive requests and shift the focus from speed to solving the right challenges.
  • Focus on problems worth solving. Not every request requires a course. Prioritize solutions that create real behavior change instead of just completing tasks.
  • Challenge requests that lack clear outcomes. If you can’t measure the impact, reconsider whether it’s worth doing in the first place.

Speed matters—but impact matters more.

Instead of rushing to deliver a 50-slide compliance course no one will remember, focus on the simplest, most effective solution that drives the behavior change you’re aiming for.

3. Create Space for Strategic Thinking 

Transformation doesn’t happen in the gaps between tasks. If your calendar is already full, you have to be intentional about creating space for deeper thinking that drives long-term results.

  • Block time for strategic work. Reserve dedicated time on your team’s calendar for strategy, innovation, and professional development—just like you would for critical project deadlines.
  • Treat it as non-negotiable. Protect this time as essential, not optional. When everything feels urgent, strategic thinking is often the first thing to get sacrificed. Don’t let it be.
  • Create space for forward-thinking work. Use this time for experimenting, reflecting, and evolving your approach—whether that means exploring new learning methods or challenging outdated practices.

Carving out time for strategic thinking isn’t a luxury— it’s a requirement for innovation and lasting impact. The most impactful change happens when teams have the freedom to reflect, experiment, and refine their approach with intention.

4. Empower the Right Conversations: Leadership and Change Management 

The constant state of busyness often starts at the top. When senior leaders are tied up in meetings and status updates, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly drives progress—discussions that focus on outcomes, not just activity.

  • Refocus conversations on business impact, not task completion. What results are we driving? What challenges need solving?
  • Challenge leadership to prioritize quality over quantity in learning programs, emphasizing effectiveness over output.
  • Encourage discussions that challenge the status quo, focusing on innovation, long-term results, and solving real business problems instead of surface-level metrics.

Real change happens when leadership and change management shift from tracking activity to asking better questions. With 70% of change efforts failing, leadership alignment and strategic training are critical to ensuring transformation. Create space for conversations that spark critical thinking, innovation, and meaningful progress.

The Hard Truth: If You Don’t Make Time, Nothing Changes 

If you’re waiting for the perfect moment to slow down and rethink your approach—there won’t be one.

The cycle will continue. The backlog will keep growing. Teams will stay reactive.

Change doesn’t happen when you’re comfortable. It happens when you disrupt the cycle, ask better questions, and challenge how work gets done—starting now.

Final Thoughts: Why is Organizational Change Important in L&D?

Effective training and change management isn’t about adding more to your plate—it’s about focusing on what truly drives impact. If L&D teams want to create meaningful learning experiences, they must shift from reactive work to leading and managing change with intention.

By making time for strategic thinking, aligning learning with business goals, and prioritizing impact over urgency, L&D professionals can break free from the cycle and drive meaningful transformation—whether through leadership training, workforce upskilling, or strategic learning initiatives.

Sometimes, a powerful quote can shift your perspective or serve as a reminder of what really matters. Here are a few worth reflecting on as you rethink how you work and prioritize what drives real impact.

Choose one quote from each category, jot them down on sticky notes, and place them somewhere visible. Let them serve as daily reminders to stay focused and keep making meaningful progress.

On Prioritization:

  • “If everything is important, nothing is important.” – Patrick Lencioni
  • “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey
  • “You can do anything, but not everything.” – David Allen
  • “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

On Time Management:

  • “Don’t be busy. Be productive.” –Unknown
  • “You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.” –Charles Buxton
  • “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” –William Penn

On Impact and Focus:

  • “What gets measured gets managed—even when it’s not the right thing to measure.” –Peter Drucker
  • “Activity is not the same as achievement.” –John Wooden
  • “Perfection is not when there’s nothing left to add, but when there’s nothing left to take away.” –Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Frequently Asked Questions About Training and Change Management

Why do change initiatives fail in L&D?

Many change initiatives stall due to poor prioritization, lack of leadership alignment, and an overemphasis on execution rather than strategic planning. Managing change as a leader requires making space for innovation, shifting from reactive work to proactive problem-solving, and ensuring learning efforts align with real business outcomes.

What’s the connection between leadership and change management in L&D?

Effective leadership and change management are essential for sustainable learning transformation. Leaders set the tone for whether change is embraced or resisted. By advocating for learner-centered approaches and prioritizing long-term impact over quick fixes, leaders can drive meaningful, lasting improvements in workplace learning.

Why is organizational change important for L&D teams?

L&D teams that resist change risk falling into outdated practices that fail to meet evolving business needs. Change management in L&D enables learning teams to stay agile, leverage new technologies, and design programs that drive real behavioral and business outcomes.

What are 4 strategies for leading and managing change in L&D?

Four ways for effectively leading and managing change in L&D include:

  1. Eliminate Low-Impact Work – Cut unnecessary tasks like redundant content and meetings to focus on meaningful learning initiatives.
  2. Prioritize Impact Over Speed – Shift from fast course delivery to solving real business problems with measurable outcomes.
  3. Make Space for Strategic Thinking – Protect time for planning, innovation, and continuous improvement to drive long-term success.
  4. Refocus Leadership Conversations on Outcomes – Move conversations from task completion to business impact and long-term learning effectiveness.

What’s the first step in improving change management for leaders in L&D?

The first step in improving change management for leaders is prioritization—identifying which tasks drive meaningful impact versus those that simply keep teams busy. By removing low-value work and creating space for strategic initiatives, L&D leaders can focus on long-term learning improvements that support business success.

Learn proven strategies to drive real engagement and impact in your training programs.

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About the Author

JR Burch

Director of Learning Experience Design
JR Burch is the Director of Learning Experience Design at Intrepid. His team is responsible for helping our clients build really solid learning strategies and helping to teach them how to build the best possible learning experience in Intrepid. JR is creeping up on 20+ years in L&D, and in that time he has been a facilitator, designer, program manager, and learning consultant, and has seen the learning experience from all different angles.

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