Change Signal
Michael Bungay Stanier
If you’re leading change in organizations, this will be your favourite podcast.Change is harder than ever. Transformation is more complex, unpredictable and overwhelming than it’s ever been. Change Signal cuts through the noise to find the good stuff that works.Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit and organizational transformation student for thirty years, talks to the best thinkers, senior leaders, and experienced practitioners in the world of change, to find what works, what doesn’t, and what to try instead. With Change Signal as your guide, you’ll be more efficient and less overwhelmed, and your change projects will more likely succeed.Change Signal: Where we cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works. Sign up for weekly updates at TheChangeSignal.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
25 snips
Oct 17, 2025 • 17min
Is Your Exec Team BORED of change? Probably. Kate Lye
In this engaging conversation, Kate Lye, a performance partner to CEOs and an experienced change leader, explores the critical role of executives in driving organizational transformation. Kate highlights the pitfalls of leaders defaulting to functional expertise while neglecting systems thinking. She argues for the necessity of personal change for effective leadership and warns against executive boredom signaling the decline of change initiatives. With insights on holding CEOs accountable, she emphasizes the need for proactive leadership to ensure sustainable transformation.
10 snips
Oct 15, 2025 • 30min
Does Insubordination Help or Hinder Change? Todd Kashdan
Todd Kashdan, a psychology professor and author of The Art of Insubordination, discusses the complex role of principled rebellion in driving change. He argues that early cooperation stifles cognitive diversity, which is essential for innovative solutions. Todd also reveals the personal costs of insubordination, including potential hits to well-being and relationships. He emphasizes the importance of amplifying diverse voices and detaching ideas from their originators to foster an environment conducive to meaningful change.
20 snips
Oct 8, 2025 • 30min
The Hidden Rituals of Change: Michael Norton
Michael Norton, a Harvard Business School professor and author of The Ritual Effect, dives deep into the world of rituals and change. He reveals that everyday rituals, like team lunches or Zoom emojis, shape organizational culture far more than top-down initiatives. Norton also introduces the concept of ambiguous loss, explaining its emotional complexities during change. He encourages leaders to blend past traditions with new practices to ease transitions, ensuring that meaningful elements of the past are honored while forging new identities.
33 snips
Oct 1, 2025 • 31min
The Four Change Friction Traps: Loran Nordgren
Loran Nordgren, a behavioral theory professor at Northwestern's Kellogg School, dives into why people resist new ideas and how to dissolve psychological friction in organizations. He reveals that framing change as 'evolution' rather than 'revolution' reduces resistance. Loran discusses four friction types that cause inertia and shares practical tactics like using email templates to boost engagement. He emphasizes addressing emotional anxieties directly to unlock potential and restore agency, challenging conventional wisdom on change management without the usual push.
39 snips
Sep 24, 2025 • 34min
Power Literacy for Change Leaders: Larissa Conte
Larissa Conte, a power literacy coach and organizational designer, shares her insights on the essence of power and its role in effective leadership. She defines power as the ability to move energy through systems and emphasizes the importance of focusing on possibilities rather than problems. Larissa explores the difference between shadow power, which creates dysfunction, and empowering energy that fosters growth. She encourages leaders to embrace their longings and expand their capacity for success, urging them to shift their focus toward creating positive change.
28 snips
Sep 19, 2025 • 17min
How to 3x Training Results: Chris Taylor
In a thought-provoking conversation, Chris Taylor, founder and CEO of Actionable, delves into the intricacies of long-lasting behavior change in training. He uncovers why high-stakes moments disrupt skill development and challenges the traditional training model. Chris advocates for daily practice over sporadic training, revealing that regular engagement in personal contexts can double success rates. His insights on shifting focus from situational to foundational practice could revolutionize how organizations embed new behaviors.
16 snips
Sep 17, 2025 • 20min
Why Curiosity Drives Change Capacity: Scott D. Anthony
Scott D. Anthony, a Clinical Professor at Tuck and innovation strategist, dives into the pitfalls of lost curiosity in organizations. He questions what stifles curiosity and explores the balance between comfort and chaos needed for effective change. Highlighting the remarkable transformation of DBS Bank, he emphasizes the power of a paradox mindset for leaders. Anthony provocatively challenges excuses like shareholder constraints as mere distractions from the real work of transformation, advocating for a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.
21 snips
Sep 10, 2025 • 20min
How to Plan for Resistance: Lisa Reynolds
In this conversation, Lisa Reynolds, who leads change management at Christus Health, shares her unique perspective on navigating organizational changes. Instead of seeing resistance as a foe, she views it as essential feedback that can be effectively managed. Lisa emphasizes the importance of relationships over rigid processes and highlights the human experience during transitions. Her practical approach includes using everyday communication tactics, like informative bathroom flyers, and understanding the grieving process during change.
33 snips
Sep 3, 2025 • 27min
Training's Biggest Blind Spot Revealed: Julie Dirksen
Julie Dirksen, an expert in instructional design, dives into why most corporate training misses the mark. She highlights the often ignored immediate relevance in learning and how organizational changes can impact professional identities. Through her intriguing printer repair experiment, she reveals that engagement hinges on timely application rather than flashy content. Dirksen introduces the elephant-rider metaphor to explain the disconnect between rational understanding and emotional responses, urging a deeper approach to fostering real behavior change in organizations.
36 snips
Aug 27, 2025 • 24min
Your Brain on Change: Prof Dan Cable
Dan Cable, a Professor of Organizational Behaviour at London Business School, dives into the neuroscience of change. He discusses how fear-based management hinders transformation and emphasizes the importance of curiosity in driving innovation. Cable introduces the 'seeking system' in our brains, advocating for autonomy over control to foster an adaptable workplace. Real-world examples, like a cost-effective KLM social media campaign, illustrate how embracing uncertainty can lead to significant success while enhancing employee well-being through dopamine engagement.
