Why do 70-90% of change initiatives fail?
That’s a staggering statistic.
In many cases, new leadership comes in, economic pressures rise, or the next "flavor of the month" initiative takes over.
What’s happening and what can you do to counteract this trend?
And if you are a change leader, lean practitioner, or continuous improvement coach, how do you avoid this becoming a career limiting move?
To help us answer this, I invited Michael Bungay Stanier, leadership expert and bestselling author of six books, including The Coaching Habit and How to Work with (Almost) Anyone, to share his insights on leading personal and organizational change.
Success in leading change comes not only from making structural shifts, but also from fostering curiosity and building strong human relationships.
It’s time to shift the failure rate to a success rate for your vision.
Focus your energy on amplifying your influence and getting the buy-in needed from key people to create meaningful transformation.
YOU’LL LEARN:
- How to reverse the trend of failed change initiatives
- What to do when others don’t align with your vision for change
- How to create agency in the people you want to influence
- Tips on how to stay curious longer to make a strong impact
- The importance of linking process improvement and people for lasting change
ABOUT MY GUEST:
Michael Bungay Stanier is at the forefront of shaping how organizations and leaders around the world succeed through focusing on curiosity and human relationships. He’s the author of six books, which between them have sold more than a million copies, and is best known for The Coaching Habit, the best-selling coaching book of this century.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:
01:04 Reasons why change initiatives fail
04:56 Two foundational challenges for leading change
07:38 The link between process improvement and integrating
the people component
13:23 Two strategies to stay curious longer and create lasting impact
16:26 Tips to reverse the trend of failed change initiatives
20:20 Steps to embrace your influence and create the impact you want when leading change
22:31 Defining A and B list relationships
24:04 Improving the quality of working relationships
24:45 How to build BPR (best possible relationships) and keystone conversations to discuss how to best work together before diving into the work
26:13 Addressing challenging conversations to clarify roles and expectations upfront
29:55 One way to increase influence and build human connection for impactful conversations
31:11 Michael’s new project in launching a new podcast
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What is Chain of Learning: Leadership Strategies for Continuous Improvement and Transformational Change?
Chain of Learning® is the trusted leadership podcast for transformational change leaders, Lean and operational excellence practitioners, and internal change agents who believe that people—not tools—are the foundation of sustainable results.
If you’re committed to continuous improvement and continuous learning, and want to build a culture where teams are capable, confident, and empowered to solve problems, innovate, and lead at every level—this podcast is for you.
Hosted by Katie Anderson, award-winning author of "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn" and globally recognized expert in people-centered leadership, Chain of Learning explores how leaders at all levels move from transactional “doing” to a vibrant, engaged culture of learning—where people and process lead to organizational success.
Each biweekly episode offers practical insights, reflective questions, and real-world examples to help you:
* Build high-performing learning cultures
* Strengthen continuous improvement, influence, and Lean leadership capabilities
* Lead transformational change with intention
* Develop people through problem-solving, coaching, and leadership development
* Improve performance while investing in human potential
Grounded in human-centered leadership and the principles of the Toyota Way, the podcast features conversations with influential thinkers and practitioners shaping the future of organizational learning, operational excellence, and change leadership. Past guests include Carol Dweck, Michael Bungay Stanier, Jim Womack, Gene Kim, and Larry Culp.
Through thoughtful conversations, real-world stories, and practical reflection, you’ll learn how leadership behaviors, learning mindsets, and systems thinking come together to create sustainable impact.
Subscribe and follow Chain of Learning® to deepen your impact—and share this podcast with your friends, fellow change leaders, and colleagues so that we can strengthen our Chain of Learning together.
Podcast website: ChainOfLearning.com
Katie Anderson’s website: KBJAnderson.com
Connect with Katie: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
Read Katie's award-winning book: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com
Download the KATALYST™ Change Leader Assessment: KBJAnderson.com/Katalyst