Feeling good about the four Cs of change

Written by CEO, Julian Walker

For at least 4,000 years people have been using the New Year as a chance to start afresh and make changes in their lives, work, and the world around them – marking this time as one of reflection and renewal.

But more than that I see it is a time for bravery – because change requires that of its makers as they intentionally initiate positive changes to solve commercial, social or economic issues.

So these changemakers must be accountable for their decisions and that can be scary. They must also ensure collective engagement through the four C’s of change: communications, clarity, commitment, and captaincy.

It is not wrong to make a mistake, but it is very unimpressive to not learn from one. So change should be embraced for being what it is – a way to be better, to be more efficient, to gain confidence, to create a better culture. A way to improve lives – and much, much more besides.

As our Change Index showed, successful people and companies embrace not just the concept of change, but the impact of its implementation. Our research centred around four key pillars: uncertainty, risk, resilience and optimism – and, as a live tool, it will continue to provide ongoing insights for brands, businesses, policymakers and individuals to understand how well placed our societies are to navigate a constantly changing landscape. 

And 2025 will be no different to previous years in that change will be an ever present – cultural, geo-political, incremental, remedial, strategic, structural, transformational, and even unplanned. We must own it, embrace our ability to implement it, and ensure that it is reinforced for the longer term.

Change is not something to be feared and I hope that we can all channel our inner Nina Simone – that icon of change, and embrace her words in all that we do:

It’s a new dawn.

It’s a new day.

It’s a new life for me.

And I’m feeling good.