In today’s episode, we sit down with Anna Tilley to dive deep into the complexities of navigating change in the corporate environment. Anna shares her insights on the emotional toll that ‘doing more with less’ takes on employees and the importance of giving them space to process changes. She highlights the organization’s innovative three-hour resilience-building sessions, designed to help employees regain a sense of control amidst upheaval.
We’ll explore the disconnect between senior leadership and employees during transitions, Anna’s efforts to launch a “Women in Technology” program, and her vision for evolving the learning and development department into a strategic partner. Anna also emphasizes the importance of resilience over traditional change management and discusses the concept of anti-fragility—a mindset aimed at growing stronger through adversity.
This episode is packed with valuable insights for leaders and employees alike, as Andrew and Anna discuss everything from fostering continuous improvement mindsets to addressing leaders’ pain points and creating environments that encourage vulnerability and reflection. Tune in to learn how to navigate change with empathy, patience, and a focus on personal growth.
Full Episode
Guest Links
Show Notes
- [00:00 — 05:21] Connecting work to client pain points clearly.
- [05:22 — 06:23] SCARF model: Managing threats, engaging positively.
- [06:24 — 09:40] Losses provide growth opportunities and learning experiences.
- [09:41 — 13:17] Regain autonomy to reclaim power and control.
- [13:18 — 17:58] Change leadership differs from change management significantly.
- [17:59 — 20:58] Choose character, build skills, transform perspective, share.
- [20:59 — 22:51] Developing leaders to effectively manage organizational change.
- [22:52 — 26:35] Balancing business goals with effective team leadership.
- [26:36 — 31:53] Small-scale project within team’s scope and budget.
- [31:54 — 34:10] Reflective session promotion via voluntary team participation.
- [34:11 — 36:16] Program created emphasized resilience, not change management.
- [36:17 — 41:04] Expand resilience by broadening tolerance window.
- [41:05 — 43:46] Rebuilding leadership through systemic change and learning.
- [43:47 — 48:03] Leadership development for career progress beyond promotions.
- [48:04 — 49:57] Action learning combines development with real impact.
- [49:58 — 53:24] Rebuilding department to become a strategic organizational partner.
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