Quick take:

  • Lasting transformation isn’t about delivering a change program - it is about shifting how people think, feel, and work.
  • The actual missing piece isn't just about technology or governance. It is the human mindset and its profound impact on sustained change.
  • To create change that sticks, leaders must show up with clarity, consistency, and connection.

Transformation Isn’t the Destination

When people talk about transformation, there’s often a hidden assumption: that it ends. That there’s a finish line. But in our recent webinar Beyond Transformation: The Missing Piece for Sustainable Change That Lasts, hosted alongside with our guest speaker, Elise Keen, Program Manager at Origin Energy, the central idea was this:

"Transformation isn’t the destination. It’s the invitation."

It is an invitation to lead differently. To engage differently. To think differently about what change really means in your organisation. This is why it's crucial to understand the nuances of why so many change efforts lose momentum - even when they tick all the boxes on paper.

Spoiler: it’s not the tools or frameworks that are missing. It’s resonance. The webinar dives deeper into these common pitfalls, offering actionable strategies to overcome them.

Change That Sticks Starts with People

If I had to sum up real transformation in one line, it would be:

"Real transformation is something you embody, not something you roll out."

When people are included early - not just informed late - you create ownership. When they get to participate in the design of the change and have a voice, they feel heard. When you connect change to something meaningful, you create momentum. And when you invest in capability up front, you reduce the fear and friction that so often derail change.

Elise nailed it when she said:

“You can’t automate clarity. You have to earn it - in how you lead, how you engage, and how you listen.”

What Gets in the Way (and What to Do About It)

Even with the best intentions, transformation can stall. Three clear patterns came up in our discussion:

  1. Leadership and frontline disconnect - When the intent from above doesn’t match the experience on the ground, trust erodes.
  2. Engagement without safety - You can’t expect contribution if people don’t feel safe to speak up. For example, if team members are afraid to voice concerns, critical issues remain unaddressed.
  3. Under-investment in capability - If people don’t have the skills, support, or space to adapt, they disengage.

The fix? Shift the focus from speed to meaning. From broadcast to co-creation, from surface-level updates to deep capability-building. These shifts are challenging but essential for lasting change, and the webinar explores how to navigate them effectively.

Three Takeaways to Carry Forward

There were three key takeaways from the webinar:

  1. Capability must come first. Don’t treat learning as a follow-up. Build it into the fabric of transformation. Change should feel like growth, not an exam. Discover how we unpack this capability-first approach in the full webinar.
  2. Stories move people more than stats. Yes, metrics matter - but they won’t win hearts. It’s the human stories, the relevance, and the “why now” that drive action. The webinar shares powerful examples of how storytelling drives buy-in.
  3. Resonance beats rollout. Fast is tempting, especially under pressure. But people don’t adopt what they don’t understand. Inclusion creates buy-in, and that takes time and trust. Learn how to foster resonance over rapid deployment in the webinar replay.

A Closer Look: Change in the Utilities Sector

Utilities are a great case study in complex, long-haul transformation. You’ve got legacy infrastructure, high public scrutiny, and essential services that can’t skip a beat.

So, how are leaders in this space making it work?

  • They’re designing with the frontline teams. Adoption is faster and more credible when it starts with the people doing the work.
  • They’re treating transformation as an ongoing service, not one-off projects. This mindset shift enables deeper investment in support structures.
  • They’re focusing on trust as both a condition and an outcome through transparency, storytelling, and consistency.

Another great quote from Elise summed this up well:

“We’re not just modernising systems. We’re stewarding trust in how we operate.”

Final Reflection: Leadership That Lasts

During the webinar, I said:

“People don’t resist change. They resist ambiguity.”

Transformation doesn’t need more noise. It needs leaders who consistently demonstrate clarity, conviction, and consistency. The webinar provides practical insights on how leaders can become effective translators, reducing ambiguity and fostering genuine engagement.

When leaders become translators, not just decision-makers, they help teams make sense of what’s happening and why it matters. And when people see their role in the story, they stay connected emotionally, operationally, and culturally.

What’s Next?

Whether you’re starting a transformation or reigniting one, here’s the thing to remember:

Change that lasts isn’t about delivering a project. It’s about building a culture.

And that takes leadership with presence, purpose, and patience. Because when we lead with intention and keep it human, long-lasting real transformation is possible.

Ready to unlock the missing piece for lasting change in your organisation? Watch the full webinar replay now to gain actionable strategies.

If you're navigating similar challenges, I'd love to connect and explore how our insights can help. Please feel free to connect with me via my email (brendan@radically.co.nz) or  connect with me via LinkedIn.

The roles of Product Owner and Product Manager often intersect, leading to confusion and potential conflicts. These roles play a crucial part in product delivery, yet their distinctions are not always clear-cut. Understanding the nuances between a Product Owner vs Product Manager is essential for organisations to reduce friction, optimise their product development processes, and ultimately deliver high quality outcomes for the customer, faster and more reliably.

This blog aims to shed light on the key differences and similarities between these roles, exploring the challenges they face and the misunderstandings that can arise. We'll delve into the scope of their responsibilities, decision-making processes, and approaches to stakeholder management. By examining these aspects, professionals and executives will gain valuable insights to help them navigate the complexities of product development and foster more effective collaboration within their teams.


Defining the roles: Product Owner vs Product Manager

Product Owner responsibilities

Ideally, the Product Owner role is a sponsor or entrepreneur for the product, who are in charge of the business case and budget, and have the authority to make decisions. They should be invested in the product's success and have overall strategic and management responsibility.

However, in some organisations, the Product Owner's role has been reduced to that of a scribe or proxy. There's a tendency for Product Owners to take on the role of "story writer" and "project manager," adopting a project mindset of requirement order-taking and managing scope, budget, and timeline.

Product Manager responsibilities

Product Managers have their eyes set on the horizon, focusing on vision, strategy, and communication. They gather insights, understand customer needs and plans for the future of the product, whilst also maintaining the product roadmap. Their core responsibilities are to drive innovation, meet long term business objectives, and keep the organisation’s products relevant in competitive market contexts.

It's worth noting that in some organisations, especially smaller startups, one person may perform both roles simultaneously. This approach can work, but it's important to understand the core responsibilities required to ensure effective product development.

As Dan Teo, CEO & Partner of Radically puts it, “Someone needs to manage the strategy, value, and backlog of work; everything else is open for tailoring. I would start with a blank sheet and list the core things that need to be done. Then within the context see what roles are required. In a cost-constrained environment, the concept of “hats” instead of roles is a good solution.”

 

Key Differences and Challenges

While there's significant overlap between these roles, there are key differences which are sources of common tensions.

product-owner-vs-product-manager

Scope and Time horizon: Long-term vs Short-term Goals

Product Managers are responsible for setting the overall direction of the product, which involves making strategic decisions that align with the company's long-term objectives. Product Owners, on the other hand, are more concerned with short-term goals, such as delivering specific features or improvements within a sprint.

This difference in time horizons can lead to disagreements about priorities and resource allocation. Product Managers might push for initiatives that have long-term benefits but require significant investment, while Product Owners might advocate for more immediate, tangible results that satisfy current customer needs.

Decision-making: Strategies vs Tactical Focus

Product Managers typically focus on the broader product vision and strategy, while Product Owners tend to concentrate on tactical, sprint-level decisions. This difference in focus can lead to tensions, especially when responsibilities overlap. Product Managers need to maintain a long-term perspective, overseeing the entire product lifecycle and developing the product roadmap. In contrast, Product Owners often find themselves more involved in the day-to-day aspects of product development, managing the product backlog and working closely with development teams.

Stakeholder Interactions

Product Owners work closely with development teams, and act as a bridge to other stakeholders to maximise the value of the product. A key group is the customer, as they often represent their needs and translate them into product requirements. 

Product Managers have a broad scope of stakeholder interactions. They focus on the product vision and strategy, communicating with stakeholders to ensure alignment and gather insights. They oversee the entire product lifecycle, from conception to launch and beyond. Product Managers also develop and maintain the product roadmap, outlining the future direction and planned features.

Product Managers need to balance the needs of various stakeholders, including executives, customers, and development teams. They are responsible for making higher-level strategic decisions that align with the company's long-term objectives.

 

Overcoming Tensions

Establishing clear distinctions between a Product Owner and a Product Manager’s role can help with overcoming decision-making conflicts. Some useful strategies include:

  1. Role clarity: Because these roles work together closely and responsibilities can vary greatly from organisation to organisation, it’s important to clearly articulate the scope and responsibilities of each role to minimise confusion. 
  2. Regular communication: Encourage continuous open dialogue between Product Managers and Product Owners to ensure alignment on product goals and priorities.
  3. Collaborative planning: Involve both roles in strategic planning sessions to allow both the long-term vision and short-term execution needs to be surfaced and tradeoffs be worked through.
  4. Shared metrics: Establish common success metrics that both roles can work towards, balancing short-term wins with long-term objectives.

product-manager-vs-product-owner


Conclusion

The relationship between Product Owners and Product Managers has a significant impact on the success of product development initiatives. Their distinct yet overlapping roles require clear communication and collaboration to navigate the challenges of scope definition, decision-making, and stakeholder management. By understanding the value and  responsibilities of each role,  fostering an environment of mutual respect, and addressing these challenges head-on, organisations can create a more harmonious and effective product development process.

Want to learn more?

If you’d like to learn more, feel free to get in touch at tiffany@radically.co.nz