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
12 snips
Aug 15, 2025 • 23min
Should You Lie About Change? Michael Bungay Stanier solo episode
Change is likened to orienteering through fog rather than following a set GPS route. Organizations often prioritize efficiency when they truly need to embrace experimentation. The speaker highlights that small, low-risk experiments can provide a more sane approach to navigating change, with strategies to win over skeptical stakeholders. Fascinatingly, kindergarteners outperform MBA graduates in innovation challenges. This fresh perspective on adaptation offers a roadmap for effective transformation without the usual delusions of control.
39 snips
Aug 13, 2025 • 26min
Are Your Meetings Killing Change? Keith McCandless
Keith McCandless, co-author of The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures, discusses transformative approaches to meetings that often stifle change. He reveals five hidden patterns that exclude vital input from participants and introduces simple facilitation techniques, like Creative Destruction, that foster breakthrough conversations. McCandless emphasizes the need for greater autonomy and responsibility in teams, encouraging leaders to cultivate deeper confidence in their members. The chat is both insightful and refreshingly candid about shaking up the conventional meeting model.
41 snips
Aug 6, 2025 • 30min
Why Stories Matter More: Jennifer Garvey Berger
In this conversation with Jennifer Garvey Berger, a complexity and change leadership expert, listeners discover how connectivity trumps individual talent in navigating change. She argues that small, fun experiments can yield insights without overwhelming planning. Jennifer also highlights the significance of stories and narratives as early indicators of transformation, often preceding numerical evidence. This practical wisdom provides a fresh perspective on leading in unpredictable environments, emphasizing the value of diverse viewpoints and adaptive mindsets.
56 snips
Jul 30, 2025 • 30min
Can You Change Yesterday's People? Mark Surman, Mozilla
Mark Surman, President of Mozilla, dives into the chaos of transforming a 25-year-old organization for the AI era. He candidly shares his journey of replacing 60% of the staff and questioning core values around privacy and open source. Surman discusses overcoming the 'righteousness stick' used by employees resistant to change and emphasizes the importance of separate structures for innovation. He offers practical communication advice and reflects on the challenges leaders face in balancing legacy and future growth amidst rapid technological shifts.
57 snips
Jul 23, 2025 • 26min
Is Your Organization Change Allergic? Anne Gotte
Anne Gotte, SVP Global Talent & Organization Effectiveness at Mondelēz and seasoned change leader from Bumble, Ecolab, and General Mills, dives into the messy realities of organizational transformation. She discusses why traditional change management is outdated, advocating for a focus on building ongoing change capacity instead. Gotte emphasizes the importance of asking tough questions about current practices and accepting discomfort as part of the process. Her insights challenge leaders to navigate change with clarity while embracing uncertainty, ultimately redefining how organizations manage transformation.
27 snips
Jul 16, 2025 • 37min
Start with the Gnarliest Problem: Rodney Evans
Rodney Evans, a partner at TheReady, specializes in solving tough cross-functional problems within organizations. She emphasizes that change work should focus on continuous evolution rather than being a one-off project. Her depth-finding model reveals how hiring practices impact strategy and rewards. Rodney highlights the uncomfortable truth that broken patterns persist because they serve unspoken benefits. By addressing the 'gnarliest problem' and engaging in small, meaningful interventions, organizations can shift from dysfunction to effective change.
85 snips
Jul 9, 2025 • 34min
The Imperfection Advantage: Charles Conn
Charles Conn, a former McKinsey partner and current chair of Patagonia's board, challenges conventional wisdom on transformation. He argues that rigid strategic planning can hinder progress, advocating for small experiments that foster learning. Conn emphasizes the importance of listening to critics and diverse perspectives to spark innovation. He shares a practical matrix for prioritizing challenges and highlights how a consumer-centric approach transformed orthodontics. His insights bring battle-tested wisdom to navigating change in today's fast-paced world.
40 snips
Jul 2, 2025 • 26min
How Many Times Should You Fight Your Boss? Molly Graham
Molly Graham, a seasoned leader who has scaled teams at Google and Meta, now runs Glue Club for startup operators. She dives deep into the emotional challenges of change management, discussing why emotional "monsters" can derail projects. Molly introduces the "fight it three times" rule for navigating difficult bosses and emphasizes the often-ignored grief leaders must face during transitions. Also, meet Bob, her playful take on personal emotional chaos, a reminder that addressing feelings is crucial in the journey of transformation.
13 snips
Jun 25, 2025 • 10min
Finding The Real Constraint: Dan Heath
Explore why billion-dollar visions often fall flat and how focusing on real people can spark genuine change. Dan Heath shares how identifying and addressing bottlenecks, inspired by a Chick-fil-A story, can streamline your transformation efforts. However, solving one constraint might just create another, akin to whack-a-mole. This insightful discussion challenges conventional wisdom in change leadership, urging leaders to connect objectives with deeper motivations to truly engage their teams.
Jun 18, 2025 • 11min
The Easiest Change Strategy: Roy Baumeister
Discover how reversing conventional change strategies can lead to better outcomes. Experts reveal that willpower isn't depleting; it's being conserved during uncertainty. The key? Start with ridiculously small actions, like using your non-dominant hand, to significantly boost success rates. Unpacking the psychological effects of uncertainty sheds light on why many resist change. Plus, explore how shared beliefs can enhance willpower and foster community accountability within organizations. Small shifts can yield substantial results!
