At Work with The Ready

26. Unweirding Change with Michael Bungay Stanier


Listen Later

Despite an explosion of frameworks, toolkits, and “best practices,” the success rate of organizational change hasn’t improved in over a decade. For all the decks, comms plans, and transformation initiatives being sold, most companies still find themselves stuck, repeating the same plays and hoping for different results.


This week, Rodney Evans welcomes back Michael Bungay Stanier—best-selling author, host of the new podcast Change Signal, and longtime friend of the show—who’s on a mission to cut through the noise and find what actually works. They explore why change still feels so weird, the real leverage points for shifting individual and organizational behavior, and whether it’s finally time to retire “change management” as we know it.


Get a copy of Michael's change quadrants he talks about in this episode here: Michael's quadrants.


Learn more about Michael:

  • Follow him on LinkedIn
  • Listen to his podcast, Change Signal.
  • Subscribe to his newsletter, The Change Signal.
  • Check out his website, MBS.works
  • See his two prior appearances on our show, BNW Ep. 19 and BNW Ep. 75.

  • --------------------------------

    Ready to start changing your organization? Let's talk! ⁠https://www.theready.com/working-together⁠


    Want future of work insights and experiments you can try delivered to your inbox? ⁠Sign up here⁠.


    Follow us on your favorite platforms for more org design nerdery:

    • ⁠LinkedIn⁠
    • ⁠Instagram⁠

    • --------------------------------


      Mentioned references:

      • Jason Fox's episode: AWWTR Ep. 17
      • John Kotter and the 8 Steps
      • Depthfinding and the "Zones"
      • Ron Heifetz
      • Immunity to Change, book by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey
      • Peter Block
      • Winston Churchill "We Shape Our Buildings"
      • Maslow's hierarchy of needs
      • Larissa Conte: BNW Ep. 151
      • Katie Milkman: Change Signal Ep. 2
      • Caroline Webb: Change Signal Ep. 5

      • Timestamps:

        00:00 Intro + Check-In: Do you have a non-work related goal that you’re working towards right now?

        9:59 Michael’s journey to un-weird change

        14:49 Michael’s individual and organizational unlocks for change

        21:24 Importance of strong foundational habits to succeed in change work

        25:37 Understanding of power dynamics in change work

        33:27 Outdated change mindsets to let go of

        38:38 Rodney and Michael’s takeaways

        40:28 Wrap up: Leave us a review and share the show with your coworkers!


        Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of ⁠⁠Coupe Studios⁠⁠.

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store

        At Work with The ReadyBy Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin

        • 5
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5

        5

        183 ratings


        More shows like At Work with The Ready

        View all
        Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

        Hidden Brain

        43,513 Listeners

        The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish

        The Knowledge Project

        2,689 Listeners

        Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

        Coaching for Leaders

        1,470 Listeners

        HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

        HBR IdeaCast

        180 Listeners

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job by How to be Awesome at Your Job

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job

        1,037 Listeners

        Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

        Worklife with Adam Grant

        9,135 Listeners

        Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

        Inside the Strategy Room

        177 Listeners

        At The Table with Patrick Lencioni by Patrick Lencioni

        At The Table with Patrick Lencioni

        1,130 Listeners

        The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

        The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

        14,397 Listeners

        A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

        A Bit of Optimism

        2,227 Listeners

        ReThinking by TED

        ReThinking

        617 Listeners

        We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

        We Can Do Hard Things

        41,642 Listeners

        Fixable by TED

        Fixable

        222 Listeners

        HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

        HBR On Leadership

        174 Listeners

        What Now? with Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah

        What Now? with Trevor Noah

        4,313 Listeners