Change Management Training Programs

Most change initiatives don't fail because of the change that's happening, they fail because of how the change is communicated. I've watched brilliant restructurings collapse and transformative acquisitions unravel… Not because the plan was flawed, but because leaders were more focused on explaining the "what" and "why" than on how they were addressing the fears and concerns of the people on their team. People don't resist change because they don't understand it. They resist because they haven't been given a compelling story about their role in it. This is where the Venture Scape framework becomes invaluable. The framework maps your team's journey through five distinct stages of change: The Dream - When you envision something better and need to spark belief The Leap - When you commit to action and need to build confidence The Fight - When you face resistance and need to inspire bravery The Climb - When progress feels slow and you need to fuel endurance The Arrival - When you achieve success and need to honor the journey The key is knowing exactly where your team is in this journey and tailoring your communication accordingly. If you're announcing a merger during the Leap stage, don't deliver a message about endurance. Your team needs a moment of commitment–stories and symbols that anchor them in the decision and clarify the values that remain unchanged. You can’t know where your team is on this spectrum without talking to them. Don’t just guess. Have real conversations. Listen to their specific concerns. Then craft messages that speak directly to those fears while calling on their courage. Your job isn't just to announce change, but to walk beside your team and help your team understand what role they play in the story at each stage. #LeadershipCommunication #Illuminate

My AI lesson of the week: The tech isn't the hard part…it's the people! During my prior work at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), we talked a lot about how any technology, whether a new drug or a new vaccine or a new information tool, would face challenges with how to integrate into the complex human systems that alway at play in healthcare. As I get deeper and deeper into AI, I am not surprised to see that those same challenges exist with this cadre of technology as well. It’s not the tech that limits us; the real complexity lies in driving adoption across diverse teams, workflows, and mindsets. And it’s not just implementation alone that will get to real ROI from AI—it’s the changes that will occur to our workflows that will generate the value. That’s why we are thinking differently about how to approach change management. We’re approaching the workflow integration with the same discipline and structure as any core system build. Our framework is designed to reduce friction, build momentum, and align people with outcomes from day one. Here’s the 5-point plan for how we're making that happen with health systems today: 🔹 AI Champion Program: We designate and train department-level champions who lead adoption efforts within their teams. These individuals become trusted internal experts, reducing dependency on central support and accelerating change. 🔹 An AI Academy: We produce concise, role-specific, training modules to deliver just-in-time knowledge to help all users get the most out of the gen AI tools that their systems are provisioning. 5-10 min modules ensures relevance and reduces training fatigue.  🔹 Staged Rollout: We don’t go live everywhere at once. Instead, we're beginning with an initial few locations/teams, refine based on feedback, and expand with proof points in hand. This staged approach minimizes risk and maximizes learning. 🔹 Feedback Loops: Change is not a one-way push. Host regular forums to capture insights from frontline users, close gaps, and refine processes continuously. Listening and modifying is part of the deployment strategy. 🔹 Visible Metrics: Transparent team or dept-based dashboards track progress and highlight wins. When staff can see measurable improvement—and their role in driving it—engagement improves dramatically. This isn’t workflow mapping. This is operational transformation—designed for scale, grounded in human behavior, and built to last. Technology will continue to evolve. But real leverage comes from aligning your people behind the change. We think that’s where competitive advantage is created—and sustained. #ExecutiveLeadership #ChangeManagement #DigitalTransformation #StrategyExecution #HealthTech #OperationalExcellence #ScalableChange

The Hidden Rules of Change Communication: Why Most Organizations Get It Wrong After observing dozens of transformations, I've discovered a hard truth: Great strategy with poor communication, Is the perfect formula for failure. Here are the 5 Golden Rules that separate Successful transformations from the failures: 1. Start With WHY Begin all change communication with purpose, not process. ✅ Create a compelling story that connects to both organizational mission and personal growth. 2. Maintain Message Consistency Ensure core messages remain consistent across all channels and leaders. ✅ Develop a central message platform and create communication toolkits that keep everyone aligned. 3. Create Two-Way Dialogue Make listening as important as telling. ✅ Establish multiple feedback channels and visibly respond to input received. 4. Visualize the Journey Make change visible and tangible through visual communication. ✅ Create visual roadmaps and progress dashboards that make the abstract concrete. 5. Communicate With Radical Honesty Build trust through transparent communication, even when challenging. ✅ Address concerns directly and create safe environments for difficult conversations. Communication isn't just about transferring information. It's the operating system for successful transformations. Which rule do you find most challenging to implement?

Success leaves clues. So does business failure. The difference between thriving companies and failing ones? Implementing transformation in the wrong sequence. Leaders who struggle with a dysfunctional workplace often miss a fundamental truth: cultural transformation can follow a specific, predictable process. The 4 D's of Cultural Change are a game-changer: 1. DEMONSTRATE Culture change begins with what you DO, not what you SAY. Your team watches every move you make, especially during stress and conflict. I've coached founders with toxic cultures who transformed their companies by starting with their own behavior. One founder began openly acknowledging when he was wrong - within weeks, his team followed suit. No mandate needed. Your actions broadcast priorities louder than words. Want psychological safety? Publicly thank someone for challenging your idea. 2. DEFINE Only after consistently demonstrating behaviors should you name the behavior as a desired cultural value. You're not inventing culture – you're articulating what's already emerging. Founders I've coached only formalize values after weeks of modeling those behaviors. By then, the team understands what the words mean through experience. Words create powerful shortcuts once behaviors are established. 3. DEMAND This is where most leaders mistakenly start – with demands before demonstration. And this is why so many leaders get frustrated trying to change culture. I've seen countless founders demand "intellectual honesty" before modeling it themselves. They get compliance but not commitment. After months of sharing their own errors, demanding the same behavior actually sticks. Your demands gain moral authority when they match your behavior. 4. DELEGATE The final step is building systems that maintain culture without your constant presence. Culture becomes truly embedded when it runs without you. The most successful founders I coach implement: • "Learning from Failure" sessions in team meetings • Peer recognition systems tied to values • Performance evaluations based on cultural alignment, not just results The most powerful cultural systems allow team members to hold each other accountable. Most leaders want culture change without personal change. They follow frameworks without doing the inner work. Through coaching dozens of founders, I've observed this consistently: The leaders who create lasting culture embody the transformation first. This requires uncomfortable self-awareness: Seeing your own patterns clearly. Understanding how your behavior creates ripple effects. Being willing to change first. At Inside-Out Leadership, we help founders combine leadership development with deep inner work. The result? Leaders who transform their cultures sustainably by transforming themselves first. When you demonstrate change, define it clearly, set expectations, and build systems... You don't just change culture. You transform your company from the inside out.

Transforming Risk Management from Process to Culture In twenty years of transformation work, I've noticed a pattern: organizations invest millions in sophisticated risk frameworks while underinvesting in what determines their success—the human element. Risk management has a behavior problem, not a framework problem. 🤫 When Risk Management Fails Silently We've all seen it: - Risk policies nobody reads - Training with high completion but low application - Risk registers maintained but rarely consulted - Near-misses that don't trigger process reviews In 2012, a major financial institution learned this lesson the hard way when $6B in losses occurred despite "best practice" risk controls. Post-incident reviews revealed employees had developed workarounds for controls they viewed as obstacles rather than safeguards. 🔗 The Missing OCM Link Risk management isn't just a technical implementation—it's a profound cultural transformation that requires: 1. Understanding current risk culture: The informal norms that actually govern behavior 2. Addressing emotional responses: Where raising risks is seen as negativity 3. Translating abstract risks to daily work: Helping people see how risks manifest in their role 4. Activating influence networks: Engaging those who shape opinions about "how things work" ➡️ From Process to Culture: The OCM Approach Effective risk culture transformation applies change principles specifically to risk behavior: - Risk storytelling: Creating compelling narratives about both risk successes and failures that emotionally resonate - Decision point mapping: Identifying the everyday moments where risk choices happen and focusing change efforts there - Psychologically safe feedback loops: Building systems where near-misses and concerns can be reported without blame - Visible leadership modeling: Ensuring executives demonstrate risk-aware decision making even when inconvenient One auto manufacturing organization reduced safety incidents in plants by 60% by implementing a system and cultural shift that empowered any worker to stop production if they saw a quality or safety issue. 📊 Measuring Culture, Not Just Controls The most sophisticated organizations are now tracking: - Risk reporting at different organizational levels - Psychological safety scores in risk discussions - Time spent on risk analysis in decision processes - How often the organization says "no" to opportunities due to risk concerns The most powerful risk management framework isn't the one in your documentation—it's the one embedded in your culture. How is your organization approaching risk culture? Are you focusing on frameworks or on the human behaviors that determine whether those frameworks actually work? #RiskManagement #OrganizationalChange #CultureTransformation #ChangeManagement #OCM #RiskFramework

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” - Peter Drucker   In a recent conversation with Mary K. Pratt of CIO Online, I shared some thoughts on the changing culture and talent landscape in high performing organizations and closing the “AI skills gap”.    Successful growth and adoption of AI will require a shift in both the skillsets for varying roles as well as the broader culture towards adaptability and embracing change. This shift is required in all parts of the organization. There are key “existential” questions that need to be answered: - How will the work of colleagues change for various roles and levels? What skills are required? - How will the workforce change to support the new ways of working? How will the organizational structure and mix shift? - How does a company best prepare the workforce for the change? - How does a company successfully sustain the change over time? Overall, there is opportunity to modernize most cultures towards high-speed decision making, agility and experimentation while re-skilling leadership with the critical skills to accelerate AI.   To execute successfully on integrating AI throughout a company, you can take a multi-tiered approach that segments colleagues into groups. - Core AI 'Bubble': Colleagues that are the closest with AI strategy and delivery and are responsible for both the AI platform builds and execution of prioritized business use cases. - AI Users/Early Adopters: Colleagues that are expected to be early adopters of AI such as prioritized business unit groups and technology teams. - Overall Colleagues: The rest of the colleagues where AI may integrate into their day-to-day in the future. So, how do you get started? One approach, as shared by a top consulting firm, has a 5-step framework for a training program that enables talent to adapt to GenAI's impact. Although cultural change requires much more, it’s a good start.  1 Undergo an Impact Assessment to understand the impact in the areas of People, Processes, and Technology. 2 Conduct a Skills Assessment that benchmarks existing skills and the gap to target state. 3 Create Learning Paths based on role or archetype. 4 Establish Change Management practices for socialization, alignment, and communication. 5 Define a Training approach, assets, and schedule to equip learners. I expect that the cultural changes required to take full advantage of AI, will take years, although there will be immediate benefits for sure. What is nice is that there are so many positives about Guardian Life’s existing culture that is focused on Inspiring Wellbeing to build upon. My thoughts on the topic continue to evolve, but here are some point-in-time thoughts in the referenced article.  https://lnkd.in/e5zAwGhc   I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic and practical ways to address culture and talent challenges. #guardian #guardianlife #ai #artificialintelligence #cio #cioonline

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🗣️ Ever feel like your Learning and Development (L&D) programs are missing the mark? You're not alone. One of the biggest pitfalls in L&D is the lack of mechanisms for collecting and acting on employee feedback. Without this crucial component, your initiatives may fail to address the real needs and preferences of your team, leaving them disengaged and underprepared. 📌 And here's the kicker—if you ignore this, your L&D efforts risk becoming irrelevant, wasting valuable resources, and ultimately failing to develop the skills your workforce truly needs. But don't worry—there’s a straightforward fix: integrate feedback loops into your L&D programs. Here’s a clear plan to get started: 📝 Surveys and Questionnaires: Regularly distribute surveys and questionnaires to gather insights on what’s working and what isn’t. Keep them short and focused to maximize response rates and actionable feedback. 📝 Focus Groups: Organize small focus groups to dive deeper into specific issues. This setting allows for more detailed discussions and nuanced understanding of employee needs and preferences. 📝 Real-Time Polling: Use real-time polling tools during training sessions to gauge immediate reactions and make on-the-fly adjustments. This keeps the learning experience dynamic and responsive. 📝 One-on-One Interviews: Conduct one-on-one interviews with a diverse cross-section of employees to get a more personal and detailed perspective. This can uncover insights that broader surveys might miss. 📝 Anonymous Feedback Channels: Ensure there are anonymous ways for employees to provide feedback. This encourages honesty and helps identify issues that employees might be hesitant to discuss openly. 📝 Feedback Integration: Don’t just collect feedback—act on it. Regularly review the feedback and make necessary adjustments to your L&D programs. Communicate these changes to employees to show that their input is valued and acted upon. 📝 Continuous Monitoring: Use analytics tools to continuously monitor engagement and performance metrics. This provides ongoing data to help refine and improve your L&D initiatives. Integrating these feedback mechanisms will not only enhance the effectiveness of your L&D programs but also boost employee engagement and satisfaction. When employees see that their feedback leads to tangible changes, they are more likely to be invested in the learning process. Have any innovative ways to incorporate feedback into L&D? Drop your tips in the comments! ⬇️ #LearningAndDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement #ContinuousImprovement #FeedbackLoop #ProfessionalDevelopment #TrainingInnovation

Struggling to get everyone on board? Some clients complain that they feel like they are hearding cats. I remember leading projects like this and was frustrated until I learned a better way. Here's a step-by-step guide to achieve stakeholder buy-in: 1. Gather Perspectives → Why it works: Provides a complete view of stakeholder positions. ↳ Action: Ask each stakeholder about their understanding of project goals, benefits, and concerns. 2. Identify Misalignments → Why it works: Pinpoints areas needing attention. ↳ Action: List key differences in a shared document, analyzing root causes and impacts. 3. Plan Actions → Why it works: Creates a roadmap for resolution. ↳ Action: Develop specific steps to improve alignment, assigning owners and deadlines. 4. Implement Strategies → Why it works: Addresses concerns systematically. ↳ Action: Adjust project elements as needed and enhance communication to meet stakeholder needs. By following these steps, you'll turn potential roadblocks into a path to project success. — P.S. Unlock 20 years' worth of leadership lessons sent straight to your inbox. Every Wednesday, I share exclusive insights and actionable tips on my newsletter. (Link in my bio to sign up). Remember, leaders succeed together.

Change doesn’t happen because you said so. Or because you hit ,Send'. One of the biggest traps leaders fall into is thinking that flooding inboxes with updates and memos will magically remove resistance. It doesn’t. Instead, teams disengage, leaders get blamed for “poor change management,” and transformation stalls before it even begins. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. If you don’t build emotional milestones alongside project milestones, even the best plan will fail. 🔴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 “𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻” 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. Resistance isn’t caused by a lack of bullet points. It’s driven by fear, loss of control, and distrust. 𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙧. When communication feels transactional, people quietly check out. Gallup found only 13% of employees think leaders communicate well during change. That’s how resistance goes underground and derails progress. 🔴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 You can’t email your way through resistance. You shift it by having real conversations that acknowledge emotions and invite people to help shape the path forward. 🔴 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝙁𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙮 trigger stress and shut down good decision-making. You can defuse it: 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁. - “This shift is hard, and it’s okay to feel uneasy. Let’s talk about it.” 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹. - Answer, “What’s in this for me?” 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲. - Run “Why?” sessions where teams can question and influence the plan. - Equip managers to handle tough conversations with empathy. Use peer influence. Trusted colleagues are often the most credible messengers. 🟢 Mindsets Over Metrics 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀. 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵. ✅ 𝗖𝗼-𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲. Bring employees into defining why the change matters. ✅ 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Use surveys and Q&As to create real conversations. ✅ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀. When teams adopt new ways without pressure, spotlight it. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. Because people don’t resist change. They resist being changed. 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯? ----- 👋 I’m Lars – delivering transformation that sticks. 🔔 Follow me for more on fractional leadership and change management.

New Series: How to bring your team and stakeholders along for the ride — without sounding like you’re empire-building. Leading change comes with invisible resistance — especially at the top. In this 3-part series, I’m breaking down how to enroll execs, peers, and your team towards a strategy or new initiative without making it feel like a power grab. This is Part 1 → Earning executive buy-in (without the pitch deck parade). 🧠 You can’t lead change without trust. Here’s how I earned it. When we introduced our new team charter, I knew the strategy alone wouldn’t win buy-in. Especially at the exec level. Because here’s what senior stakeholders are really thinking when you propose something new: • Is this in service of the company — or your own fiefdom? • Are you building for ego, or customer impact? • Are you asking for resources... or making a case for results? So I made a choice early on: 📌 Take myself out of the equation. 📌 Center the conversation on the customer. 📌 Get ahead of unspoken doubts. How? Lead with external credibility. Before sharing our charter, I showed what “great” looked like: ✅ B2B and B2C brands that built legacies, not just fanbases ✅ Bold examples of customer-led innovation ✅ Programs that made people feel connected, not managed That shifted the lens from “Why is he doing this?” to: ➡ “Why aren’t we doing this already?” The key? Don’t lead with your strategy. Lead with your belief system. Execs don’t need every detail — they need to feel like you’re building for the future they care about and it's grounded in culture and values. 🔁 This is Part 1 of 3 in my series: How to bring your team and stakeholders along — without sounding like you’re empire-building. Next: How I enrolled my peers across functions — without it feeling political. #leadership #stakeholdermanagement #alignment #strategy #executivebuyin #customermarketing