In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Dr. Annie Faulkner about why many organisational change programs struggle to deliver their promised outcomes, and what leaders can do instead.

Annie has spent over two decades working in organisational transformation across Europe, Australia, and South Africa. After leading large-scale change programs for global organisations, she began questioning why many traditional approaches repeatedly fail. This curiosity led her into complexity thinking and ultimately to completing a doctorate exploring how organisations attempt change and what is really happening beneath the surface.

Now working as an executive coach and leadership advisor in Berlin, Annie supports senior leaders transitioning into board and executive roles. Her work focuses on helping leaders navigate complexity, power dynamics, and uncertainty while staying grounded in their humanity.

This conversation explores the realities of organisational change, the courage required to stay in difficult conversations, and how leaders can remain balanced while carrying significant responsibility.

This episode explores:
• Why many traditional change programs struggle to achieve lasting impact
• Complexity thinking and questioning the assumptions behind transformation programs
• The transition from expert to executive when stepping into board-level leadership
• Staying in difficult conversations rather than resolving conflict too quickly
• Power, politics, and whose voices are missing in leadership decisions
• Grounded leadership: taking the work seriously without taking yourself too seriously
• The role of coaching in helping leaders navigate uncertainty and complexity
• Work, life, and balance: recognising that leadership choices shape the whole system

Guest Links
• Dr Annie Faulkner https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniefaulkner/
• The Transitionists https://www.the-transitionists.de

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Annie’s journey from Australia to Berlin
05:18 Why many organisational change programs fail
09:01 Complexity thinking and questioning traditional change models
10:03 Coaching leaders transitioning to board-level roles
11:06 Staying in difficult conversations instead of resolving conflict too quickly
16:00 Experimenting with relational conversations with AI
21:41 Bringing overlooked voices and perspectives into leadership decisions
29:42 What grounded leadership really looks like
33:14 Why “work–life balance” doesn’t exist
34:12 Training the body and mind as a leadership practice

Explore further
Book a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.

Credits
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in North Melbourne and Berlin, 11 February, 2026
Produced at the Violet Town, Benalla and Peregian Beach offices, 11 February - 10 March, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au