A Change in Conversation

By Arne Kötting

Leading a complex tech transformation across multiple countries? Struggling to keep stakeholder engagement on-brand, on-message, and on-time—while making your program stand out in a noisy workplace?

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FAQs about A Change in Conversation:

How many episodes does A Change in Conversation have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.

A Change in Conversation episodes:

May 21, 2026 16_4 things CIOs must get right to build influence
AI puts IT at the centre of business change – now CIOs must turn that moment into influence.
Problem
CIOs have long wanted IT to be seen as more than an operational provider. But influence is not earned through technical delivery alone. It depends on whether business stakeholders understand the direction, trust the guidance, adopt the technology, and see the value.
Why it matters now
AI and data have moved IT into the centre of business change. This creates a rare opportunity for CIOs to strengthen IT’s strategic role — or miss the moment.
**What you’ll learn **
-Why technical delivery is no longer enough
-How CIOs can create strategic clarity
-Where stakeholder trust breaks down
-Why adoption shapes IT’s reputation
-How to tell a stronger value story
-What IT must do differently now
Executive takeaway
CIO influence grows when IT becomes a trusted guide for business value, not just a provider of systems.
**Listen now to learn how CIOs can turn the AI moment into greater visibility, stronger tech adoption, and more influence where decisions are made. **
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31min
April 30, 2026 15_Building trust with credibility:How to move IT from firefighting to trusted business partner/Linda Söderberg (Sysmex)
A practical CIO perspective on reducing operational noise, rebuilding IT confidence, and creating the conditions for tech adoption.
Problem
Many IT organisations are still trapped between operational firefighting and rising business expectations. When noise, unclear priorities, and constant demand dominate the agenda, IT struggles to create room for innovation, strategic partnership, and long-term credibility.
Why it matters now
CIOs are under pressure to keep the business running while preparing for AI, automation, and new digital demands. Without focus and trust, even strong IT teams risk being seen as reactive rather than value-adding.
What you’ll learn
-How to reduce operational noise
-Why credibility starts with reliable basics
-How to balance steady state and innovation
-Why customer centricity matters in IT
-How communication strengthens the IT brand
-Why trusted partnership is a long game
IT becomes a trusted business partner when it creates focus, communicates clearly, and consistently proves its value through credible delivery.
**Listen now to learn how Linda Söderberg moved IT from firefighting mode toward stronger trust, clearer priorities, and a more strategic role in the business. **
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42min
April 16, 2026 #14_Stakeholder buy-in at scale:How to mobilize 80 countries behind one SAP transformation |Jorge Lopez (Syngenta Group)
A reverse, customer-led approach that turns early stakeholder engagement into stronger ownership, faster adoption and less resistance.
Problem
Most SAP programs still treat rollout as a deployment problem. The result is familiar: late stakeholder pushback, weak local ownership, uneven adoption and endless Hypercare phases. In this episode, Jorge Lopez explains why large-scale transformation only works when program leaders build business commitment, strong team alignment and clear governance long before go-live.
Why it matters now
Global programs are under pressure to standardise faster while proving value earlier. If adoption lags, the business case weakens quickly.
What you’ll learn
-How to build buy-in across 80 countries
-Why early regional involvement changes adoption
-How to balance standards with local realities
-What strong program teams do differently
-Why data readiness shapes rollout credibility
-How partners can strengthen execution
Executive takeaway
Technical delivery is not enough; adoption improves when leaders align stakeholders, team, governance and business value from the start.
Listen now to learn how to reduce resistance, strengthen ownership and improve adoption in a complex global SAP transformation.
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29min
March 26, 2026 #13- When to start your stakeholder engagement
Early engagement protects adoption, program credibility, and ROI.
Most ERP programs start stakeholder engagement too late. By the time questions, frustration, and local pushback become visible, the program has already lost time, goodwill, and part of its adoption potential. What looks like a communication issue is often a business risk: weaker adoption, slower stabilization, and an ROI story that starts to crack.
Why it matters now
This matters now because large tech programs are under more scrutiny than ever. CIOs and program leads are expected not just to go live, but to prove usage, value, and control across the full journey. 
What you’ll learn
-What leaders can influence early
-When stakeholder engagement really needs to start
-Why technical readiness does not equal adoption
-How hidden concerns form in each phase
-Where passive resistance starts building
-How to protect credibility beyond go-live
Early stakeholder engagement is not support work around the program; it is part of how you protect adoption, reputation, and ROI from the start.
Listen now to learn how to engage earlier, reduce resistance triggers, and lead your ERP change with more control.
https://open.spotify.com/show/1iJW0dI3XFcG4kehBMf8J4
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21min
March 19, 2026#12- The 4 forces behind tech adoption
Why users resist, where adoption breaks down, and what leaders can do early to protect ROI.
Most tech programs do not lose value at go-live. They lose value in the weeks and months after, when usage drops, workarounds appear, and local teams quietly disengage. The issue is rarely the system alone. Adoption is shaped by four forces that either reinforce behaviour change or weaken it before the rollout has a real chance.
Why it matters now
This matters now because CIOs and program leads are under pressure to show ROI faster, reduce disruption, and move programs into business as usual without extended support costs or reputation damage.
What you’ll learn
Why go-live does not guarantee adoption
-The four forces shaping user adoption
-Where hidden concerns start to build
-Why workarounds spread after launch
-How stakeholder response affects ROI
-What leaders can influence early
Adoption is not a communication afterthought but a leadership variable that can be managed early to protect value.
Listen now to build your program’s immune system.
https://open.spotify.com/show/1iJW0dI3XFcG4kehBMf8J4
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17min
February 26, 2026#11 - Why recognition is the fuel that will power your team through the ERP marathon
Discover why recognition is your program’s "immune system" and how to operationalize it to sustain performance.
ERP programs are marathons where recognition often disappears between stage gates, creating a dangerous "Rush & Drop" cycle. This oversight isn't just about morale; it's a delivery risk that erodes the resilience your team needs for critical phases like UAT and cutover.
Why it matters now
Recognition acts as your program's "immune system," protecting delivery capacity and preventing expensive talent churn in high-pressure, multi-year projects.
What you’ll learn
Avoiding the "Rush & Drop" engagement trap.
Why generic project swag rarely builds commitment.
Embedding recognition into your standard operating rhythm.
Empowering Stream Leads and Local Leads as multipliers.
Scaling "micro-celebrations" across global locations.
Recognition is not "soft HR work" – it's a strategic performance lever that sustains momentum across multi-year timelines.
Listen now to build your program’s immune system.
➡️ Website Change Playbook
➡️ Arne on LinkedIn
➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up
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15min
February 19, 2026#10 - Mind the gap: How to spot comms risks before they drive resistance
Learn to use the "Hit vs. Shit" radar to predict resistance and protect your program's ROI and reputation.
Every program log tracks data migration and cutover, but few track the communication risks that actually kill adoption. This "hidden risk" often manifests as "silent noise"—quiet withdrawal or non-compliance—that sabotages your rollout long before go-live.
Why it matters now
Your program is an internal brand; if expectations don't match reality, trust erodes, and once trust is gone, your ROI evaporates, regardless of technical readiness.
What you’ll learn
Why "Silent Noise" is more dangerous than loud complaints.
The "Hit vs. Shit" lens for diagnosing adoption risk.
How to map perceived gains and losses across the timeline.
Scoring communication risks with the rigor of technical logs.
Strategies for Proactive vs. Reactive risk management.
Communication isn't "soft work"—it's protection for your reputation and ROI that requires the same rigorous tracking as your technical critical path.
Listen now to diagnose your hidden program risks.
➡️ Website Change Playbook
➡️ Arne on LinkedIn
➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up
...more
22min
February 13, 2026#9 - How decentralising comms can help to hedge local resistance
Learn how to activate local multipliers to turn 'HQ noise' into local ownership and secure global adoption.
Global tech programs often fail when local teams treat them as distant "HQ initiatives," leading to passive resistance and low adoption. This disconnect is rarely about language; it's an ownership deficit that leaves local leaders disengaged when you need them most – and creates shaky go-lives.
Why it matters now
Without a strategy to bridge the central-local gap, you risk costly rollout delays, overloaded hypercare, and a solution that technically works but fails to deliver value on the ground - sustainably.
What you’ll learn
Why centralised communication triggers the "HQ Trap".
The "Messenger Effect": Why local voices outperform global slides.
Replacing heavy toolkits with agile "mini-briefings".
How to activate local multipliers without overloading your central team.
Turning global noise into local ownership and accountability.
Localisation isn't translation—it's a strategic risk mitigation mechanism that turns passive information into active local ownership.
Listen now to secure global adoption through local relevance.
➡️ Website Change Playbook
➡️ Arne on LinkedIn
➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up
...more
17min
February 10, 2026#8 - How to find the sweet spot of visibility for your IT program
Standing out in an increasingly noisy organisation to protect buy-in and user adoption.
Many IT programs struggle to secure buy-in because they misjudge visibility—sharing too much, too early, or too late. In a saturated attention economy, broadcasting every technical milestone trains stakeholders to ignore you, creating noise rather than alignment.
Why it matters now
Your program competes with every other initiative for airtime and leadership focus; without precise calibration, you risk eroding credibility before your rollout even begins.
What you’ll learn
The 3 visibility traps that kill adoption: Noise, Timing, and Climate.
Why "hype" campaigns often lead to momentum decay.
How to calibrate volume like a DJ, not an on/off switch.
The “Two-Filter Test” to ensure every communication lands.
Strategies to align messaging with the current organisational mood.
Adoption thrives on relevance, not volume—treat stakeholder attention as a finite resource to be protected, not exhausted.
Listen now to cut through the noise and protect your investment.
➡️ Website Change Playbook
➡️ Arne on LinkedIn
➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up
...more
22min
February 05, 2026#7 - How the ghosts of project past shape adoption before you even start
Uncover how past failures create early resistance—and learn how to fix it before rollout.
Many tech programs struggle long before rollout because past failures quietly shape how people respond to the new initiative. Years of overpromising and underachieving, along with burned terminology, sit in the collective memory and trigger visible or hidden resistance that standard communication can’t fix. Without diagnosing this heritage, adoption stalls, engagement drops, and credibility weakens – even when the technical solution is strong.
Why it matters now
CIOs and program leads are under pressure to protect ROI and avoid another “quiet failure.” Understanding organisational memory is now essential to land major transformations.
What you’ll learn
Three heritage patterns driving early resistance
How burned terminology undermines your message
How to surface hidden concerns before rollout
Practical steps to assess heritage in 90 minutes
Your past change failures are shaping adoption on go-live and well beyond – diagnose them early or risk repeating them.
Listen now to learn how to identify and address change heritage before it derails your next program.
➡️ Website Change Playbook
➡️ Arne on LinkedIn
➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up
...more
22min

FAQs about A Change in Conversation:

How many episodes does A Change in Conversation have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.