When Resolution Isn’t Enough: Why Big Companies Need Transformation, Not Cancellation
By Dr. Nashay Lowe
In today’s climate, companies are expected to respond quickly when something goes wrong whether it’s a leadership failure, public controversy, or cultural misstep. But for large organizations that employ thousands, a rushed apology or temporary resignation won’t fix the deeper issue. And they can’t simply be “cancelled” when they don’t just employ people, they shape livelihoods, communities, and industries.
So what happens when resolution isn’t enough?
It’s tempting to believe that replacing a CEO, issuing an apology, or posting a values statement resolves the harm. But without deeper shifts, those gestures ring hollow. And when companies are publicly shamed without a roadmap to evolve, everyone loses—employees, stakeholders, and communities.
The answer isn’t PR spin or a one-off training. It’s transformation: a deeper shift in how an organization sees itself, owns its impact, and rebuilds trust from the inside out. At Lowe Insights Consulting, we work with companies to move beyond damage control and build cultures equipped to grow through tension, not avoid it.
Resolution is reactive. It asks, How do we fix this issue?
Transformation is proactive. It asks, What made this possible in the first place?
Conflict transformation doesn’t excuse harm. It expands the possibilities for repair, accountability, and growth. It’s not about protecting reputations. It’s about protecting people—by ensuring the systems that failed them don’t continue to do so.
If the same breakdowns keep surfacing—whether related to leadership, communication, or equity, it’s a sign your systems need rethinking. I recently explored this on my podcast The Resolution Room, where we unpack how conflict, if approached wisely, can be a catalyst for change.
Mistakes don’t have to be endings, they can be turning points. And if companies are willing to do more than protect their image. The organizations that will lead tomorrow won’t be the ones that avoid conflict, but the ones that confront it with courage, humility, and a commitment to evolve. Because lasting success isn’t built on silence or spin. It’s built on people and the systems that support them.
About the Author
Dr. Nashay Lowe is the founder of Lowe Insights Consulting and host of The Resolution Room podcast. She helps institutions design cultures rooted in clarity, alignment, and accountability—so that systems can thrive because their people do.
