I was working with a large, fairly progressive advice practice recently. The kind that most would look at and think, “they’ve nailed it.” They’ve invested heavily in technology. They even have a full-time developer whose sole role is to build tools the leadership team wants and roll them out across the business.
On paper, it sounds like a dream. A developer at your fingertips, bringing every idea to life.
But what was actually happening wasn’t quite so smooth. The tools were being built… but they weren’t being used. They were sitting there - half adopted, inconsistently applied, or ignored altogether, while the team continued to operate in the old way. As teams often do.
A bit like installing a Skylight calendar at home… and still asking “what’s on tonight?” because no one’s actually checking it (guilty as charged).
The same dynamic was playing out in this practice. Not because they didn’t care. And not because the tools weren’t good.
But because the team simply couldn’t keep up with the rate of change required to adopt them.
Too busy. Too overloaded. Too deep in the day-to-day to stop and learn a new way of working. We’ve all been there. Most of us more often than we’d like.
Change is hard.
And this is where things start to break down.
What’s different now?
Change in the financial planning industry is nothing new - and we’ve always adapted. To regulation, to changing client expectations, to new ways of working.
But what feels different now isn’t just the pace. It’s that everything is shifting at once. And not always in a neat or orderly way.
Technology is evolving quickly, yes - but at the same time, client expectations are rising, practices are merging and reshaping, and the dynamics inside our teams are changing too.
The situation we saw in that practice is far from unique. There’s a quiet tension sitting inside most practices right now, driven by a simple reality: we’re asking a lot of our people to keep up with the change, while still delivering in their day-to-day roles.
Clients expect faster responses and a more seamless experience. Advisers are being asked to move beyond technical expertise into coaching, communication and behavioural guidance. And inside practices, we’re seeing a growing mix of experience levels, expectations and communication styles, particularly as younger team members join the ranks.
We’re no longer asking teams to adapt to change. We’re asking them to operate within a constant state of change.
And for most people, that’s tough.
The human response to change
Anyone who’s ever managed a team in any capacity will know - people don’t all respond to change in the same way. Some lean in. Some… absolutely do not. Because change is experienced very personally.
It challenges confidence.
It disrupts routine.
It introduces uncertainty.
And as humans, we’re wired to seek the opposite: certainty, predictability and a sense of control over how we do our work.
The mental load we bring with us
What makes this even more complex is that change doesn’t happen in isolation. It lands on people who are already carrying a lot.
I feel this myself as a business owner and a mum of three busy boys. And I know many in our industry are in the same boat - parents, juggling it all, often running pretty close to capacity.
It’s the personal mental load that we inevitably carry on our shoulders into the office each day.So when we layer change on top, it’s like trying to pour more into a glass that’s already close to full. New systems, new processes, new expectations - it’s not just about time. It’s about capacity.
When that capacity is stretched, we don’t lean into change. We look for the easiest, fastest, most familiar way of doing something.
We’re not just asking people to use new systems or follow new processes. We’re asking them to operate differently.
To communicate more clearly.
To think more critically.
To take ownership.
To navigate ambiguity.
In other words, we’re relying more heavily on soft skills than ever before. And yet, for many (particularly those earlier in their careers) these skills are still being developed.
So we start to see a gap. The environment demands adaptability, judgement and confidence…
but those muscles aren’t yet built. Which makes change even harder to absorb.
What this means for practice leaders (This is the part to pay attention to)
If change is going to stick, we need to think differently about how we introduce it.
None of this is complex in theory. It’s just harder in practice. But a few simple shifts can make a real difference:
- Create space, not just expectation
If people are already at capacity, adding more won’t land. Something needs to come off the plate to allow something new to take hold. - Focus on behaviour, not just tools
A new system only works if people use it consistently. That means supporting and celebrating the small, everyday habits - not just the rollout. - Recognise that people will respond differently
Some will lean in. Others will need more structure, clarity and reassurance. Both are normal but require different management styles. - Build capability, not just process
Change today relies heavily on communication, judgement and ownership. These are skills that need to be developed - not assumed. - Support the “how”, not just the “what”
Explaining the change isn’t enough. People need support in how to approach it, how to prioritise it, and how to build it into their day-to-day.
And just as importantly, they need to understand the why, so they feel part of the journey. When that’s clear, people are far more likely to lean in and adopt the change.
Change doesn’t happen at the point of decision. It happens in what people do next.
The practices that move forward from here won’t be the ones with the best technology. They’ll be the ones that get better at supporting their people through change.
In the end, progress isn’t driven by ideas or tools.
It’s driven by what actually gets adopted. Consistently.
Which, as we know, isn’t always the same thing.
