Change programmes don’t fail because the plan is wrong.

They fail when the human experience is ignored.

In this episode of Across the Table, host Joe Perry is joined by Tara Jones, founder of The Good Change Consultancy, to explore what it really takes to lead change while protecting dignity, trust, and working relationships.

From system rollouts and restructures to new policies and operating models, organisations often pour time and money into business cases, timelines, and governance, while missing a simple truth: change only happens through people.

Drawing on decades of experience across central government, policing, higher education, charities, and highly unionised environments, Tara shares practical insights on:
- why “change resistance” is a misleading label
- why comms alone won’t build trust
- how dignity becomes the first casualty of poorly handled change and how leaders can make space for honest conversations without slowing delivery

This is a grounded, practical conversation about leadership, employee voice, compassionate challenge, and how to move away from permanent crisis mode, toward change that actually sticks.

We discuss
- Why change programmes lose sight of people [00:00]
- Dignity at work and the human cost of transformation [03:48]
- Why “change resistance” is the wrong diagnosis [07:25]
- Meaningful involvement vs “just doing some comms” [07:25]
- Outcomes before plans: what leaders get wrong [11:22]
- Trust, honesty, and saying “I don’t know” [12:39]
- Crisis mode, BAU, and fractured relationships [16:23]
- Compassionate challenge and asking better questions [19:38]
- Why honouring people can speed up delivery [22:36]
- One simple Monday-morning change leaders can try [25:16]

Chapters
- [00:00] Change programmes & the missing human truth
- [03:48] Dignity at work during transformation
- [07:25] Rethinking “change resistance”
- [11:22] Outcomes vs delivery plans
- [14:12] Leadership, urgency & space to think
- [16:23] Crisis culture & BAU reality
- [19:38] Compassionate challenge
- [22:36] Does human-centred change slow delivery?
- [25:16] A practical change you can make next week
- [26:45] Wrap-up & reflections

Where to find Tara Jones
- LinkedIn: Tara Jones
- Website: The Good Change Consultancy

Host: Joe Perry
- LinkedIn: Joe Perry
- Newsletter: Across the Table by Joe Perry
- Website: collaboratER

About the show
Across the Table is about the conversations that shape work - and the people who have them. Thoughtful, grounded talks about how work works.

For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected]