From Resistance to Momentum: Rethinking Organizational Change | Greg Satell | 658

What if you could lead organizational change the same way revolutions overthrow regimes? Today on Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with Greg Satell—co-founder of ChangeOS, bestselling author of "Cascades: How to Create a Movement That Drives Transformational Change", and one of the world’s top experts on transformational change. Greg doesn’t just talk about change—he’s lived through it, from leading media organizations during the Orange Revolution in Ukraine to building practical frameworks used by today’s largest corporations. Greg shares why traditional change management often fails and how organizations can instead harness the power of movements. Drawing from real-world revolutions and network science, he explains why resistance is predictable, why change requires collective action, and how to create sustainable, culture-driven transformation that sticks. He also breaks down the tools and models behind his work—like the Resistance Inventory and Cultural Trigger Mapping—and why building evangelists inside your organization is critical to long-term success. If your team is struggling with change fatigue, inertia, or lack of alignment, Greg’s insights offer a radically different way forward. This episode is packed with sharp, actionable frameworks for CEOs, CHROs, transformation leaders, and fellow thought leaders alike. If you're looking to drive change that actually lasts—this conversation is a must-listen. Three Key Takeaways: • Change is a people problem, not just a strategy problem. Successful transformation requires shifting beliefs and behaviors—not just processes or structures. • Resistance is predictable—and manageable. Most change initiatives fail because they don’t identify or plan for resistance. A resistance inventory helps leaders anticipate and navigate pushback. • Lasting change spreads like a movement. True transformation requires internal evangelists who influence their networks, making the change sustainable beyond any one leader or initiative. If Greg’s episode sparked your interest in how movements drive lasting change, you’ll want to explore our conversation with Urvashi Bhatnagar on Implementing Niche Solutions at Scale. Both episodes dive into the challenge of turning big ideas into sustainable results—whether it’s building cultural momentum for transformation or scaling specialized solutions across complex organizations. Urvashi’s insights on aligning niche innovations with organizational structures complement Greg’s frameworks for overcoming resistance and creating internal evangelists. Together, these episodes offer a powerful blueprint for leaders who need to drive change that sticks and scales.