Final answer:
Failed change initiatives are often due to leaders not dealing with organizational culture effectively, optimizing parts of the organization at stakeholders' expense, lacking a compelling vision, or not showing empathy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The underlying cause for a huge percentage of failed change initiatives is often linked to leaders' inability or unwillingness to address organizational culture and capabilities issues. Organizational culture significantly influences employee behavior, including their acceptance and support of change initiatives. When leaders fail to engage with the culture, or if they optimize one part of the organization at the expense of the overall harmony and stakeholders, resistance can grow. Additionally, lack of a compelling vision or failure to demonstrate empathy can lead to disengagement among key members of the organization. The success of change initiatives frequently depends on the leaders' capacity to foster an environment where the shared beliefs, values, and practices of the group align with the proposed change, and individuals feel heard and developed in the process.