What If Sustainable Performance Started with People?

Why does the human factor remain a blind spot in transformations?

When Annie Chaumont joined Forvis Mazars Canada after the pandemic, her mission was clear: to build the Talent & Culture department to support an already fast-growing organization. Drawing on her diverse experience, she quickly connected day-to-day operations with strategic priorities. What struck her most, however, was that “during periods of transformation, whether digital, through an acquisition, or in a major project, leaders often focus on structures, tools, and processes, but too often at the expense of people.” She adds, “Change is never purely technical or operational. It impacts professional identities, beliefs, and team dynamics, which can be challenging to navigate.”

What drives your deep interest in the relationship between performance and people—beyond the numbers?

Throughout her career, Annie says she has “seen brilliant leaders, phenomenal people, burn out. I’ve seen major projects fail because of a lack of buy-in. And even companies lose their essence by trying to grow too fast. Without a human foundation, performance is inherently unstable.” This realization became a guiding thread, leading her to pursue a doctorate on identity tensions experienced by leaders and on how organizational culture impacts health, engagement, and performance. “Rigour, profitability, and growth are essential,” she says, “but they must be pursued with a genuine consideration for people. Otherwise, something eventually breaks.”

What are the main blind spots organizations face during transformation?

Annie identifies three recurring blind spots. The first is the tendency to “underestimate the human impact,” even though transformation always disrupts habits and psychological safety. The second is ignoring culture. As she puts it, “It’s easy to say we want collaboration, but you can’t buy a book on collaboration at Bulk Barn. Culture is an invisible strategic lever, it manifests in the everyday, visible behaviours that people share. Defining those expected behaviours is key to maximizing the chances of a successful transformation.” The third, often overlooked blind spot, is failing to plan for succession at every level. “Developing future talent is an investment, but not doing it costs far more. When key people, whether managers, experts, or knowledge holders, leave without transferring their know-how, the entire organization becomes vulnerable.”

What happens when these aspects are neglected?

“When these realities are forgotten, a gap forms between strategic decisions and the organization’s actual capacity to deliver and that gap can be very costly,” she warns. Annie cites a Forbes article referencing a McKinsey study showing that “70% of transformations fail due to cultural resistance and lack of employee engagement. That’s huge. It shows how critical it is to clarify goals, promote transparency, involve employees, and build a sense of ownership. Without that, there’s no collective ability to execute.”

How important is coherence between declared values and lived experience?

For Annie, coherence is absolutely central. “When there’s too big a gap between stated values and daily reality, it breeds cynicism and disconnection. Employees disengage.” She shares contrasting experiences: “In one organization, every leader truly embodied a core value, and it shaped how collaboration happened every day. In another, values were just posters in the HR office, with no reflection in management practices.” At Forvis Mazars Canada, the definition of values is part of the 2024–2028 strategic plan and remains an ongoing process. “We’ve chosen to take the time to embody our values before displaying them. For me, what matters most is that they live through our actions, decisions, and interactions. The visual display will come later, once it reflects who we truly are.”

Can clients or partners actually perceive this coherence?

“Absolutely,” she says. “This coherence is reflected in the quality of our interactions, the ease of collaboration, and the way we handle challenges. Clients and partners quickly sense whether they’re dealing with an aligned organization, through how we listen, respond, and deliver. These details don’t lie. A strong culture shows, even when it’s unspoken.”

Aren’t kindness and high standards contradictory?

Annie sees them as complementary: “Kindness is actually a sustainable condition for performance. A leader can hold an ambitious vision while creating a space where people feel respected, supported, and accountable.” She describes this as a delicate balance: “It’s a dance between human reality and organizational needs. When someone faces a personal challenge, we can acknowledge it and find accommodations. But we also open the conversation: what’s your commitment in return? How will the team stay on track? That’s how you build a climate where high standards can thrive healthily.”

What major transformation do you see ahead for organizations?

She sees the next revolution as a profound shift in mindset: “Organizations will have to navigate multiple truths, diverse identities, and sometimes conflicting expectations. With AI, new generations, and the rise of ethical concerns, complexity is the new norm. The ability to integrate and navigate this complexity, that’s the heart of tomorrow’s leadership.”

If you could give one message to business leaders, what would it be?

“Never underestimate the human factor in your strategy. Ever. Even behind the most sophisticated systems, there are people. Human coherence must support processes and metrics—otherwise, everything else becomes fragile.”