You see the problem clearly. The solution is obvious. But when you try to implement change, nothing moves. People nod in meetings, agree with your logic, then continue doing exactly what they were doing before.
Here’s what you’re missing: you’re trying to push change horizontally when power flows vertically. You’re spending energy convincing peers when you should be influencing decision makers.
I learned this lesson during a frustrating period when I was trying to improve our project management processes. Our timelines were consistently unrealistic, our resource allocation was chaotic, and our project reviews were superficial. The problems were obvious to everyone on the ground.
So I did what seemed logical: I built a comprehensive presentation showing the problems, gathered data on delays and cost overruns, and scheduled meetings with my fellow project managers. I spent weeks convincing peers that we needed better processes, more realistic planning, and proper resource management.
Everyone agreed. They nodded enthusiastically, shared their own horror stories, and promised to adopt the new approaches I was proposing. I felt like I was making progress.
But nothing changed. People kept accepting impossible deadlines because that’s what leadership expected. They continued working with inadequate resources because that’s what was allocated. They kept doing superficial reviews because deep analysis wasn’t rewarded.
The breakthrough came when I realized I was solving the wrong problem. The issue wasn’t that people didn’t understand the need for change. It’s that the system didn’t reward the change I wanted. I was trying to convince people who were responding to incentives I couldn’t control.
The principle is simple: influence upstream, align downstream.
Organizations aren’t flat networks of equal influence. They’re hierarchical systems where real power flows from top to bottom. Understanding this flow is crucial for effective change. Upstream decision makers set priorities, allocate resources, and make strategic decisions. Their choices create the conditions everyone else operates within. Peers don’t have the authority to change systems even when they agree with you.
So instead of convincing peers, I focused on influencing the people who created the conditions peers operated within. I reframed project management problems in terms leadership cared about: client satisfaction, budget predictability, and strategic goal achievement. I connected process improvements to their objectives, not mine.
Once I had upstream support, downstream alignment became much easier. When leadership prioritized realistic planning, it got resources and attention. When systems rewarded proper estimation, people adapted quickly. I didn’t have to convince everyone individually. I just had to change the conditions they were operating within.
The most efficient way to change a system is to change the conditions the system operates within. And those conditions are set upstream.