Debra Miller examines why change implemented in the workplace is often difficult, resisted, and costly. She provides a clear 7-step process for leading change management effectively, replete with examples. Where must a leader start? What must be done along the way? Deb is the Managing Principal and Chair of the Board of Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc. She has managed numerous large change initiatives throughout her career. She assists and advises clients on how to map and lead thoughtful change that is manageable, garners faster broad buy-in, and is cost-effective. EPISODE RESOURCES: Deb's Bio Connect with Deb on LinkedIn Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc. Brain Chatter, a podcast where we listen past the daily noise and explore topics at the intersection of leadership, workplace culture, profit, and sustainability.

Leaders embrace change because they know opportunity resides within every change. Without change, there would be no prospect for growth, development or advancement. Leaders help others accept change and grow through it. ─Deb Miller─ Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc.

“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but where they ought to be.” Rosalynn Carter Leaders focus on destination as well as comfort and will choose destination over comfort when given no other choice. ─ Jordan Smith ─ Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc.

Or asked another way…   Sometimes the “correct story” as I see it is not how others see it. Given that some things are unknown or unknowable, how is my opinion of what the reality is any more valid than the opinions of others?   Let’s begin with what we all know: information is never perfect and rarely complete. You can always rely on that in business! If perfect information were possible, there would be little question or debate. And, as you know, if you wait for information to be complete, you will almost certainly miss the moment.   In the absence of perfection or complete information, judgement is required.    As a leader, using good judgement and telling yourself the correct story is one of your most critical responsibilities. But not everyone sees it the same way as you do, and due to the information “gaps,” it’s impossible to…

By Ken Chapman, Ph.D. Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc. Delegating work properly does a lot more than make your life as a leader easier. It builds teamwork, increases efficiency, develops careers, raises morale, and boosts productivity. But it is not always easy to do. Here are some simple strategies to get you started. 1. Delegate responsibility, not work. Too many leaders confuse delegating responsibility with dumping work on someone. Team members know the difference. Do not assign a project and insist a team member do it your way with no room for personal initiative. 2. Allow employees to take turns running staff meetings. This does three things. First, it shows that you respect and trust their abilities. Second, it builds their confidence and leadership skills. Finally, it gives you a chance to see how someone handles a group in case you ever consider promoting that person to a managerial position.…

For untold centuries, one of the most important trees in the American food chain and in forests from Maine to Mississippi was the wild American Chestnut tree. Estimates show there were three billion Chestnut trees when the Europeans arrived. In the Appalachian Mountains, twenty-five percent of trees were American chestnut. For wildlife from deer to squirrels the chestnut seemed critical to survival. Then around 1900, some Chinese chestnut trees infected with a blight were imported to New York. The blight spread and killed almost every single American Chestnut tree from forests to front yards including ancient behemoths. Time marched on and wildlife and humankind adapted to life without them. Change is sometimes traumatic, immense, rapid, and unfathomable. In the workplace just as in nature, survivors find ways to adapt and thrive. Effective leaders spend little time fretting over uncontrollable events and much more time finding a path forward. ─ Derek…

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs . . . You may recognize the opening line from the poem If. Kipling wrote those words in 1895, yet today we know his advice was right on target. Approximately 2/3 of the population has no real-time awareness of their emotions. If you “keep your head” you increase the chance of a constructive response. Better to offer a thoughtful response than perform damage control for an emotional reaction. ─ Deb Miller

The sandbox tree grows pumpkin-shaped fruit that explodes when ripe. The explosion launches the seeds as far as three-hundred feet at speeds up to 150 mph. Its nickname is the “dynamite tree.” Leaders know business, just like nature, often confronts us with the strange and unexpected. The best strategy for minimizing the dynamite tree effect is thoughtful planning. ─ Ken Chapman, Ph.D.

Exceptional results are seldom random. They are the product of consistent good judgment. A leader knows the choices made each day determine the life we construct, the health we enjoy, the relationships we build and the work we create. The difference is in the choosing. ─ Deb Miller ─ Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc

Some clichés are true. For example: No one is perfect. Given that obvious insight, leaders know accountability will have to do. And accountability means the employee owns the mistake, corrects the mistake, learns from the mistake, and moves on—no hand-wringing as there’s work to be done. Leaders know this is the path to continuous improvement. ─ Ken Chapman ─ Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc.