Written by: Vickie Sullivan | May 15, 2025
When Client Behavior Problems Block Progress
I just got back from the Women’s Leadership Board meeting at Harvard University, where I learned more than I expected—especially about helping clients.
Farayi Chipungu, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, led a workshop on leadership. Her first big insight? The reason 70% of initiatives fail is because we mistake client behavior problems for system problems. We bring tools, advice, and strategies to situations that call for new habits, not just new frameworks.
A personal example: I’ve often thought, “This person just needs direction. Once we figure out their market position, they’ll be off and running—they’re so motivated.” But no amount of expertise or encouragement will work if the real issue is a client behavior problem. Without addressing the need for change on that level, even the best strategy won’t stick.
So, how do you know when you’re solving the wrong problem?
- When your recommendations get enthusiastic agreement, but no follow-through.
- When the client understands the benefits of change but reverts to old habits under stress.
- When you find yourself thinking, “Wait…didn’t we already fix this?”
A client’s desire to solve a problem isn’t always enough. If the solution requires major behavior change, they need a different kind of intervention—one that helps them build new ways of operating, not just new plans.
Conventional wisdom says if we sell the upside, clients will stay motivated. But real change often takes more than vision. It’s our job to recognize client behavior problems and know when the answer isn’t another system, but a shift in behavior.
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