What does it really take to transform a company that’s stuck in old habits and resistant to change? How do you guide people through a shift they may not fully believe in while keeping culture, clarity, and courage at the center? 

Leading through that kind of tension doesn’t happen overnight. But when you get honest with your team about the necessity of creating a new type of culture, rebuilding relationships, and redefining what’s possible when the stakes are high, that’s when true transformation really begins.

Our guest, Charlie Reith, is the Chairman at Solomon Associates and is experienced in providing high-level support to energy industry clients to assist with the performance improvement of their existing facilities, with projects having been completed in most major regions of the world in refining, petrochemicals, logistics, and power generation sectors. 

In this conversation with Matt and Ward, Charlie shares what it was like to confront deep internal resistance, navigate leadership denial, and make bold decisions that forced the organization to stop operating in silos. He talks openly about the stress and uncertainty that come with real change, including the tough calls required to put people at ease while still pushing the company forward. 

Charlie also explains why customer intimacy, executive engagement, and a willingness to “rip the bandaid off” became non-negotiable parts of the transformation and how partnering with the Pennebaker team and moving through the Guardrails process helped create alignment, rebuild trust, and reshape the company into a more connected, future-focused business.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Highlights from our Conversation with Charlie Reith

00:43 Meet Charlie Reith: Transformation Leader

02:00 Challenges of Leadership and Transformation

03:15 Resistance to Change and Benchmarking Culture

07:41 Voice of Customer Research and Organizational Denial

10:43 Redefining the Company and Cultural Transformation

15:51 Executive Engagement and Guardrails Process

21:30 The Importance of Change Management

22:37 Reflections on Leadership, Technology, and Transformation

27:35 The Role of AI and Data Security

31:34 Advice for Emerging Leaders

33:05 Future of Solomon and Rebranding Insights

35:22 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Topics Discussed: 

• Why struggling companies need more than new resources to move forward
• Breaking down the structure of the guardrails process
• How true transformation requires redefining the company from the inside out
• Rebuilding trust and restoring customer intimacy through intentional leadership
• Embracing the challenges behind culture and organizational shifts
• Using communications as a strategic competitive advantage

Connect with Charlie Reith: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-reith-9022053a/

About Rethink Change:

When growth is stagnant, culture’s a mess, the brand’s adrift, and the board wants miracles by Monday, Pennebaker’s podcast, Rethink Change, is where innovators and disruptors go for clarity.

Hosted by Founder Ward Pennebaker and President Matt Pennebaker, this podcast delivers sharp insights from battle-tested leaders who’ve navigated chaos and turned challenge into momentum. You’ll hear from executives from startups to global behemoths, from a wide range of industries. No fluff. All results. These conversations reveal what actually works, enabling you to think differently and act smarter.

Get Connected with Rethink Change:

• Website: https://www.pennebaker.com/podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pennebaker/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pennebakerbrand
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