
Leading Transformational Change with Tobias Sturesson
We are passionate about helping leaders, HR, and ethics professionals build healthy cultures that enable mission success, a thriving workplace and responsible impact.
Every other Thursday we post insightful and actionable conversations with leading thinkers, researchers, and practitioners on culture, values, ethics, and transformational change.
Latest episodes

Feb 29, 2024 • 39min
085. Cecilia Bergman-Eriksson: Scaling Culture and Leadership in Hyper-Growth – Lessons From Oatly
Today, our special guest is Cecilia Bergman-Eriksson, whose expertise comes straight from the dynamic growth experience of Oatly. Cecilia works as an Interim Manager and leads companies and organizations to overcome critical and complex challenges.
In this episode, we discuss how maintaining a strong culture and values is key during rapid company expansion. Cecilia reveals how spending time with employees, establishing purpose, and embedding values into every process are vital steps toward sustaining transformational change.
Links Mentioned:
Cultureandleadership.org
Episode 68 with Frank Blake
Episode 64 with Sandra Sucher

4 snips
Feb 15, 2024 • 34min
084. Develop Leaders to Transform Your Culture
Explore values-driven leadership and the Culture Leadership Program with Tobias Sturesson and Andreas Almlöf. They discuss aligning behaviors with organizational values, developing crucial habits for sustainable change, and challenging outdated notions of habit formation. Get ready for a thought-provoking session that encourages leaders to lead by example in their commitment to culture change.

5 snips
Dec 14, 2023 • 29min
083. Steven Rogelberg: Why One-on-One Meetings Are Vital to Cultural Health and How to Make Them Better
Meet Steven Rogelberg, a leadership expert who discusses the key elements of effective one-on-one meetings and the importance of creating a psychologically safe environment. Learn about intentional questions, the 'listing' approach, and giving feedback constructively. Discover why cancelling one-on-one meetings sends a negative cultural message. Check the show notes for a free guide and Steven's book 'Glad We Met'.

Nov 16, 2023 • 49min
082. Ann Skeet: Making Values-Based Decisions in a Time of Rapid Change
Ann Skeet is the Senior Director of Leadership Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Ann teaches ethics literacy for boards in the Silicon Valley Executive Education Center in the Leavey School of Business. She is also a co-author of ‘Ethics in the Age of Disruptive Technologies: An Operational Roadmap’.
Tune in as we discuss:
The Six Ethical Lenses Framework
How to incorporate ethical principles into your decision-making
Why trust is a crucial currency for successful operations
Some ethical challenges that arise with the implementation of AI
How do you counter bias in decision-making?
Links Mentioned:
Free guide: https://heartmanagement.org/en/guide/
‘Ethics in the Age of Disruptive Technologies’ by José Flahaux, Brian Green and Ann Gregg Skeet
Leading Transformational Change episode with Sandra J. Sucher
Dr. Dan Siegel
Ann Skeet on LinkedIn
Ann Skeet on X
Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University

Nov 2, 2023 • 47min
081. Jay Barney: How Taking Ownership and Action Will Transform Your Culture
Jay Barney is an American professor in strategic management at the University of Utah. He shares his insights on the crucial link between culture and strategy and how it impacts the success of any transformational change initiative. He emphasizes the importance of understanding group dynamics, the role of HR in shaping culture, and the power of storytelling in creating a healthy organizational culture.
Tune in as we discuss:
How does understanding group dynamics contribute to the success of transformation?
What are some limitations and challenges that HR faces?
The difference between strategy and culture in leadership roles
Why do leaders need to think about how to spread and make their story stick?
Tips to overcome inertia and take action
Links Mentioned:
Free guide: https://heartmanagement.org/en/guide/
‘The Secret of Culture Change’ by Jay Barney
Jay Barney on LinkedIn
CultureChangeSecret.com
If You Want Culture Change, Create New Stories – HBR

5 snips
Oct 19, 2023 • 47min
080. Melissa Daimler: Design Your Company Culture to Connect with Values, Strategy and Purpose
Learn how Melissa Daimler, a culture expert, emphasizes the importance of constructive debates in promoting learning and growth, hiring based on behaviors and values, and driving cultural change in global organizations. Discover insights on fostering diverse perspectives, the role of CFOs in cultural transformation, and practical tips for shaping a positive organizational culture.

Oct 5, 2023 • 52min
079. Wendy K. Smith: How Both/And Thinking Helps Us Engage Our Values and Solve Our Toughest Problems
Wendy K. Smith is the Dana J. Johnson professor of management and faculty director of the Women’s Leadership Initiative at the Lerner College of Business and Economics, University of Delaware. As we navigate the complexities of sustainability and sustainable development goals, Wendy sheds light on the challenges that arise when making overarching commitments.
Tune in as we discuss:
Integrating sustainability goals with profitability for businesses
When is it necessary to prioritise profit versus ethical considerations?
The concept of "tightrope walking" as a strategy
Both/and thinking versus either/or thinking
Embracing serendipity and being open to new experiences in decision-making
Links Mentioned:
Free guide: https://heartmanagement.org/en/guide/
Both/and Thinking

Sep 21, 2023 • 37min
078. 6 Vital Steps to Leading Lasting Culture Change and Making Values Matter
Explore how to assess company culture, develop leader habits, involve senior management in change, and integrate values into daily decisions and discussions. Learn about rituals, incentives, and processes that reinforce organizational values.

Sep 7, 2023 • 41min
077. Adam Waytz: How to Create More Human Workplaces and Avoid a Culture of Busyness
To measure the ROI of culture is like measuring the ROI of air. Culture is not optional but a fundamental part of how we operate as a group.
It influences every aspect of our organization - how we make decisions, think, communicate, collaborate, and perform.
At the heart of culture are people and relationships.
While many organizations will claim that they put people first, it’s easy to fall into cultural assumptions, drives, and beliefs that are harmful to our people and, ultimately, to the organization's mission.
Some time ago, I read a fascinating article in Harvard Business Review about the dangers of a culture that glorifies busyness.
The author, Adam Waytz, is an award-winning social psychologist and associate professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He’s the author of The Power of Human: How Our Shared Humanity Can Help Us Create a Better World.
On episode 076 of the Leading Transformational Change podcast, I interviewed Adam about:
What leads to dehumanization in our organizations, and what we can do to counteract it.
How AI implementation impacts how we measure the ethicality of an organization
Why a culture of busyness is a problem, and what we should do about it.
I believe the conversation is relevant for anyone who wants more human workplaces and desires to build healthier cultures.

Aug 24, 2023 • 48min
076. Michaela Ahlberg & Anna Romberg: Creating a Culture of Responsible Leadership at a Multinational Medtech-Company
Join your host Tobias Sturesson and his guests, Michaela Ahlberg and Anna Romberg - co-authors of The Grey Zone, on this practical and insightful episode of the Leading Transformational Change podcast. In this conversation, they discuss how to promote a healthy, ethical and values-driven culture in your organization. Michaela and Anna also talk about their Responsible Leadership Program - what they were trying to accomplish, what they learned along the way, and what results they’ve seen.Michaela Ahlberg was instrumental in developing the Ethics and Compliance functions at several large multinational companies as the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Telia Sonera, Volvo Cars, Nokia Siemens Networks and Getinge. Anna Romberg is the current Executive Vice President of Sustainability, Legal, and Compliance at Getinge. She is also co-founder of the Nordic Business Ethics Initiative. Michaela and Anna are co-authors of The Grey Zone. Duration: 48:03