This is a reprint of an article originally published at www.forbes.com
The hardest part of progress isn’t always the vision or developing whatever comes next—it’s letting go of what used to be enough. Even when everyone agrees that it’s time to evolve, moving forward can feel slow, messy and uncomfortable. The technology could be ready to go, and the business case could be airtight, but progress might stall anyway. Change rarely fails on strategy. It often fails on emotion.
For example, the shift from legacy infrastructure to cloud-native platforms in the telecommunications industry is long overdue, and everyone knows it. Everyone nods in the room but drags their feet outside it. We frequently assume customers are ready to leap when, in reality, they’re clinging to what’s familiar. This reaction from customers isn’t ignorance; it’s human nature. Change is hard. And unless we lead with that understanding, we’re going to stall before we start.
The Three Es: Educate, Empathize, Empower
Real leadership starts with education. When teams show up with pitch decks without perspective and jump straight to the product, they’re not taking the time to unpack and understand what the customer is actually going through. Instead, it’s about reframing how customers see their world:
- What’s the cost of inaction?
- What does staying the course really mean for their competitiveness, margins and long-term relevance?
It’s about providing clarity.
However, education alone won’t get you there. The roadmap is clear. The resistance is not; it’s emotional. Change doesn’t feel like growth; it feels like grief. In many cases, when a customer hesitates, it’s not because they don’t get it—it’s because they do. They see the impact on their teams, roles and identity. The system or product that they’ve relied on may be outdated, but it’s also what they’re familiar and comfortable with, and that emotional attachment is real. If we want movement, we have to earn it. Empathy is the currency.
Lastly, there’s empowerment. Real empowerment isn’t about telling customers, “You’ve got this,” it’s about proving that they do. It’s bringing migration plans that reduce risk, success stories that build confidence and a sense of shared ownership that makes change feel less lonely and terrifying. When people feel supported, they stop looking for reasons to say no and start looking for ways to say yes.
The Power Of Trusted Disruption
Oftentimes, the three Es are where most leaders stop short. They educate, they empathize and they empower, but they don’t take the next step: the push. And I get it; challenging the status quo feels risky. What if we push too hard? What if we offend? What if we lose the deal? What if we don’t and lose the future instead?
But here’s the thing: Progress demands pressure. If we’re not challenging, we’re not leading—we’re enabling.
That’s why I believe in trusted disruption—the ability to speak uncomfortable truths without blowing up the relationship. Trusted disruption can move conversations from safe and stagnant to bold and transformative. In my industry, that might sound like this: “The network you’ve built is impressive, but it’s not going to carry you into the next decade.” Or “Your customers expect more than what your legacy systems can deliver.” These aren’t easy things to say, but if you’ve built trust, if you’ve done the work to educate, empathize and empower, you’ve earned the right and responsibility to say them.
Let Go Or Get Left Behind
At the end of the day, the biggest threat to your customers’ success isn’t their competitor; it’s comfort. Real leadership isn’t about delivering the latest platform—it’s about helping people move forward when they’re not sure they can. That means asking tough questions, pushing back when it’s easier to nod along and refusing to build your business around someone else’s nostalgia.
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