

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

28 snips
Jun 18, 2025 • 31min
Beyond Resilience: Shatterproof: Dr. Tasha Eurich
Dr. Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist and author of 'Shatterproof,' dives into the necessity of moving beyond the traditional concept of resilience. She discusses how many resilience programs are failing as they overlook fundamental human needs like confidence, choice, and connection. Eurich introduces a four-step process to help individuals grow through challenges rather than merely survive them. She highlights the importance of recognizing pain as a catalyst for transformation and the value of relational curiosity in overcoming workplace challenges.

64 snips
Jun 11, 2025 • 26min
The Three Voices Sabotaging Change: Otto Scharmer
Otto Scharmer, an MIT lecturer and creator of Theory U, dives into the internal battles that hinder change leaders. He identifies three inner voices—judgment, cynicism, and fear—that sabotage transformation. Interestingly, he argues that rushing into action often exacerbates issues. Instead, he advocates for the practice of 'let go and let come,' allowing new solutions to emerge. With practical exercises and insights, Scharmer redefines how we approach change and highlights the significance of internal readiness in successful transformation.

34 snips
Jun 4, 2025 • 29min
Trust: Your Change Leader Superpower? Rachel Botsman
Rachel Botsman, a leading expert on trust and an Oxford University fellow, dives into the critical intertwining of trust and change. She reveals that resistance isn't a problem but a sign of engagement and debunks the myth that trust influencers only come from expected sources. Botsman emphasizes the necessity of patience in change leadership, advocating for a culture that values fragility and care over quick fixes. With her intriguing notion of trust as a 'confident relationship with the unknown,' she challenges leaders to embrace ambiguity and prioritize humanity in their strategies.

5 snips
May 28, 2025 • 26min
Solo with MBS: Are you a Change drama queen?
Discover how a simple three-role model can reveal dysfunctional patterns, what your least-played role says about your biggest triggers, and which powerful questions can transform strained relationships during change.
In this LinkedIn Live, I dive into the Karpman Drama Triangle—a model I've used for 30+ years as both a self-management and change management tool.
We all play Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer roles, especially when stress levels rise during transformation initiatives. The question isn't if you'll fall into these patterns, but how quickly you can notice and exit them.
Here’s a killer insight: The Rescuer might seem heroic, but this role creates victims and disempowers those around you. (Sound familiar?)
Listen to the full interview to find the three questions that can pull you out of the Drama Triangle.
Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change, transformation, and growth.
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7 snips
May 21, 2025 • 26min
You Have to Work with the Resistance: Adam Kahane
In this discussion, Adam Kahane, Director of Reos Partners and author of Collaborating with the Enemy, shares his insights on navigating change through what he calls "radical collaboration." He emphasizes the importance of embracing unpredictability and working with those we may not agree with. Kahane challenges the notion of needing alignment before taking action, advocating instead for human connection as a foundation for collaboration. He introduces a framework balancing power, love, and justice, essential for meaningful transformation in organizations and society.

5 snips
May 14, 2025 • 6min
Can Feelings Fast-Track Your Transformation? Cassandra Worthy
Exploring the vital role of emotions in business, Cassandra Worthy argues that embracing feelings can revolutionize organizational change. By allowing team members to express their true emotions, engagement and productivity soar. She advocates for slowing down to process feelings, enabling teams to contribute meaningfully before moving forward. Regular emotional check-ins emerge as strategic tools, challenging traditional notions that dismiss the importance of emotions at work.

4 snips
May 7, 2025 • 36min
What Are Your Top Three Decisions? David Lancefield
Join David Lancefield, a seasoned consultant who has transformed strategies for organizations in over 30 countries. He reframes 'change' as 'creation' to inspire forward momentum and clarity in decision-making. David emphasizes the importance of linking projects to organizational success while empowering leaders to identify their top three decisions. He advocates for a proactive approach to strategy, encouraging leaders to engage earlier and drive meaningful impacts. With practical insights, he tackles the emotional barriers that often hinder transformation.

Apr 30, 2025 • 20min
Your Change Team Needs More Conflict, Not Less: Liane Davey
Tension drives innovation, productive conflict is essential for change, and effective listening helps you understand what truly matters to people.
Dr. Liane Davey reveals how to use conflict as a catalyst for positive change in organizations where most teams have too little productive tension, not too much.
As a change leader, it turns out that your job isn't to avoid conflict but to create the right kind of "yoga uncomfortable" stretch that makes everyone stronger. Davey's tent metaphor brilliantly illustrates how teams should balance multiple tensions to achieve optimal solutions where "everyone sleeps dry tonight."
I particularly love her advice on giving people an obligation to disagree rather than permission, transforming resistance into purposeful contribution. She shows us how to ask "open drawbridge questions" that help us understand the treasure people are protecting when they breathe fire.
This conversation will fundamentally change how you approach resistance in your next change initiative. The skills Davey shares will help you create the forums where good fights happen and better solutions emerge.
Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change management.
🎧 New episodes every two weeks. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at thechangesignal.com.

37 snips
Apr 23, 2025 • 28min
Stop Planning, Start Prototyping Change: John Zeratsky
John Zeratsky, a former design leader at YouTube and Google, revolutionizes change management with his rapid prototyping strategy. He emphasizes that every change is just a hypothesis until tested, urging teams to move quickly from idea to prototype. This approach not only clarifies objectives but also energizes teams and captivates stakeholders. Zeratsky also discusses the importance of differentiation in initiatives, ensuring that changes are truly transformative rather than just incremental. His insights offer fresh methods for navigating workplace change and overcoming resistance.

Apr 16, 2025 • 25min
Are You Blinded by the “Change Obvious”? Dr Jason Fox
In this episode: Navigating uncertainty versus ambiguity, treating strategy as a living conversation, and looking beyond the obvious for weak signals.Dr. Jason Fox challenges conventional notions of change management by urging us to develop sensibilities rather than just skills. He argues that traditional scenario planning creates an illusion of control that fails when contexts shift radically.We’re both deeply skeptical of outsourcing strategy to consultants with impressive PowerPoint decks. Rather, Jason suggests cultivating in-house intelligence and attunement to what's emerging. "Strategy emerges from relationality," he explains, emphasizing the importance of collective sense-making.Perhaps most provocatively, he warns against fixating on the bright, shiny trends everyone's talking about. "When you fixate upon something that's shining bright, it means that it's harder to see what exists in the penumbra," Fox notes — encouraging leaders to develop curiosity, empathy, and attunement to weak signals.Whether you're leading transformation or just trying to stay ahead of disruption, Dr Jason Fox's perspectives offer a refreshing alternative to business-as-usual approaches.Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change management. 🎧 New episodes every two weeks. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at thechangesignal.com.


