Making Leadership Work Season 5 – Leading The HEART Of Change

In Season 5, Dr Michelle McQuaid & Michelle Etheve unpack our HEART of Change framework and share practical tools to help us navigate change more confidently, even in the midst of ongoing uncertainty.

Curious how leading organizations, schools and communities are navigating the emotional and social chaos and uncertainty that change often creates? This series unpacks our HEART of Change framework and shares practical tools and examples at the ‘Me’ (individual), ‘We’ (leaders and teams), and ‘Us’ (organizations, schools, communities) levels. 

EPISODE #1 – NAVIGATING THE HUMAN SIDE OF CHANGE

Ever wonder why change feels so much harder than it did in the past? We're in an unprecedented supercycle where disruptions collide and create ongoing "Oh FUD!" responses - Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt that are flooding our nervous systems. Based on our work with organizations around the world, we share why traditional approaches miss what matters most and introduce our HEART framework for supporting teams through the emotional reality of transformation, even when uncertainty is the only constant.

EPISODE #2 – Honor Feelings - Your Nervous System’s Navigation System

Need to meet organizational psychosocial safety requirements without just ticking boxes? Join us as we explore how OH&S, HR, and wellbeing teams can collaborate on creating risk registers that drive real change. We share practical examples from organizations that have turned compliance into opportunity, engaging leaders and teams in meaningful safety conversations. Discover strategies that not only satisfy regulations but genuinely improve workplace wellbeing.

EPISODE #3 – Engage Purposefully – Winning People’s Commitment

Have you ever been in a meeting where someone shares a "big announcement" and you can practically hear everyone's minds turning off? Compare that to times when you're figuring out a problem together with people you trust - same amount of work, totally different feeling. What makes some complex changes feel safe enough to lean into while others feel dead on arrival? This episode explores how to turn grudging compliance into willing commitment during change. We share the E in our HEART framework with practical tools for meaningful conversations that support self-organization.

EPISODE #4 – Appreciate Strengths – Fuelling Confidence & Capability

Ever notice how some changes leave people feeling energized and capable while others leave them exhausted and overwhelmed? What creates this difference? Why do some uncertainties feel like exciting challenges while others trigger that familiar "Oh FUD!" spiral of fear, uncertainty and doubt? This episode explores how to fuel people’s confidence, make the most of their capabilities, and help them stay curious about how they can navigate change more effectively together. We share the A in our HEART framework with evidence-based approaches to help you build on people’s strengths while also dealing with their challenges and struggles.

EPISODE #5 – Reach Out – Connecting Ideas & Resources

Why do some teams emerge from uncertainty stronger and more connected, while others splinter into silos where everyone's fending for themselves? The difference lies in whether people feel safe enough to admit they're struggling and ask for help. This episode reveals why reaching out is often the one simple act standing between you and success during change. We share the R in our HEART framework with practical tools for normalizing struggle, making it easier to ask for and offer help, and ensuring no one burns out from caring.

EPISODE #6 – Take Tiny Steps – Sustaining Momentum

Change initiatives often start with such confidence - neat timelines, clear milestones, everyone aligned - yet within weeks things feel messy and unpredictable. What makes the reality so different from the plan? This episode explores why "tiny is mighty" when it comes to navigating complex change. We share the T in our HEART framework with practical tools for embracing polarities rather than false choices, starting where you are, sensing when to adapt, and celebrating small wins that build the resilience needed to thrive in ongoing uncertainty.

EPISODE #7 – Leading Human-Centered Change - Your HEART Check

While new data suggests 58% of changes fail, organizations using human-centered methods achieve 93% success rates. What's the difference? This final episode reveals how the HEART framework helps teams thrive through today's supercycle of change by helping people feel 'safe enough' to embrace not having all the answers, self-organize around actions they care enough to own, and measure success by growing their capabilities to navigate uncertainty together. We bring together all five HEART factors into one simple practice you can do anywhere, anytime.
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