Most leaders know change is hard.
Very few know why people resist, when to communicate, or how to move teams forward without burning trust.

In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick is joined by Liz Lance and Suzanne Rudnitzki, co-authors of The Change Cheat Code.

Together, they unpack a simple, practical framework for leading people through change: Hear, Fear, Near, and Cheer. This model helps leaders understand what employees actually need at each stage of disruption, whether that change comes from M&A, restructuring, AI adoption, or life itself.

Rather than treating change as a rational checklist, Liz and Suzanne show why change is emotional, repeatable, and manageable when leaders meet people where they are.

What you will learn in this episode

• Why people stop listening during announcements and what leaders should say instead
• How the Hear stage requires repetition, clarity, and restraint
• Why fear is unavoidable and how to use it productively instead of suppressing it
• How Near becomes the moment where learning and adoption finally work
• Why training too early actually slows change
• How celebration creates closure, trust, and momentum for what comes next
• The most common leadership mistakes that deepen resistance during M&A
• How this framework applies to AI, organizational redesign, and personal change

Connect with the guests
Liz Lance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlizlance/
Suzanne Rudnitzki LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-rudnitzki/
Book website: https://thechangecheatcode.com