130: Adapt or Be Left Behind: The Future of Leadership | Deborah McLaughlin

Feb 13, 2025

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Building Adaptable Organizations: The Key to Surviving Rapid Change

Is your organization struggling to keep up with the accelerating pace of change? Consider this: The average lifespan of a company has shrunk from 75 years to just 6. Without constant reinvention, your business might not exist in three years.

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, change leadership expert Debora McLaughlin explores how organizations can build the critical capability of "changeability" - the mindset, energy, and capacity to not only lead change but to imagine opportunities within obstacles. Drawing from her extensive experience in corporate technology, psychology, and executive coaching, McLaughlin shares practical insights on how leaders can assess and develop adaptability at the individual, team, and organizational levels.

This Episode Covers:

The three pillars of changeability: change leadership, adaptability (which can now be measured across 15 dimensions), and agility
Why understanding your leadership style (head, heart, or hands) is crucial for effectively communicating change to different personality types
How psychological safety and learning environments are essential for building adaptability
The distinction between "play to protect" and "play to win" mindsets, and why organizations need both
The importance of asking clarifying questions rather than just telling people what to do when implementing change
How environmental factors like stress levels and team support significantly impact an organization's ability to change
Why resilience should focus on "leaping forward" rather than just "bouncing back"
The critical skill of "unlearning" - letting go of previously successful approaches to embrace new ways of working

Episode Highlights:

(00:00) Introduction to Debora McLaughlin – Damon introduces Debora, highlighting her expertise in leadership, adaptability, and coaching.

(01:15) What Is Changeability? – Debora explains the concept of changeability and how it empowers leaders to create their future.

(05:30) The Three-Legged Stool – Debora introduces her framework: change leadership, adaptability, and agility, and how they support organizational success.

(09:00) Understanding Leadership Styles – Debora shares how knowing whether you lead with your head, heart, or hands can transform communication and collaboration.

(12:33) Adaptability as a Superpower – Debora emphasizes why adaptability is the most sought-after skill and how it impacts individuals, teams, and organizations.

(17:00) Building Psychological Safety – Debora discusses the importance of creating environments where teams feel safe to learn, fail, and innovate.

(21:30) Turning Resistance into Opportunity – Debora shares strategies for helping teams and individuals overcome resistance to change.

(33:18) The Power of Unlearning – Debora highlights why unlearning outdated habits is just as important as acquiring new skills.

(42:00) Final Thoughts on Changeability – Damon, Darren, and Debora wrap up with actionable insights for leading and thriving in a VUCA world.

About Debora:

Debora McLaughlin is the CEO of The Renegade Leader Coaching and Consulting Group and author of multiple books including the recently released Changeability. With over two decades of experience spanning Fortune 100 technology implementation, licensed psychology practice, and executive coaching, McLaughlin brings a unique combination of business acumen and behavioral expertise to organizational change. Her work focuses on measuring and building adaptability in leaders and teams, with documented success in improving customer satisfaction, employee retention, and digital transformation initiatives. A pioneer in quantifying organizational adaptability, McLaughlin's approach has delivered measurable ROI for clients, including a 162% return on investment in one strategic partnership project. Her insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal.

Resources Referenced:

Debora McLaughlin on LinkedIn

Changeability: How to Navigate Change with Clarity, Confidence & Certainty by Debora J McLaughlin

The Renegade Leader: 9 Success Strategies Driven Leaders Use to Ignite People, Performance & Profits by Debora J McLaughlin

Do You Play to Win—or to Not Lose? Harvard Business Review article about complexity of mindset in play-to-protect versus play-to-win approaches

Podcast Contact Information:

Website: www.learnit.com

Email: podcast@learnit.com