In this episode, Ruth is joined by Kathryn Eade, Head of Strategic Change at the University of Salford and founder of the Female Leadership Collective. With over 20 years' experience in leading change and supporting growth, Kathryn Eade shares her insights on what really makes change possible within organizations. The conversation covers the realities of driving sustainable transformation, the human side of change, and the importance of fostering collaborative environments.

Key Topics Discussed

• Seeing Change from the Inside vs. Outside
• Kathryn Eade describes how working internally reveals the complexities, histories, and unwritten rules that truly shape organizational change, often unseen by external consultants 02:49.
• Sustainability and Systemic Change
• The importance of lasting impact and how real change is less about delivering projects and more about shaping systems and behaviors 05:00.
• Levers for Meaningful Change
• Leadership modeling and consistency are essential
• Change is not announced, it's experienced through leaders' behaviors 07:31
• Small, incremental shifts ("stretching the elastic band") build momentum over time
• Managing Expectations and Pace
• Demonstrating "quick wins" to maintain momentum 10:11
• Translating collaborative and behavioral work into language that resonates with results-focused leaders
• Culture: The "Soft" Hard Stuff
• Why culture and behaviors are strategic enablers, not “soft” extras 13:18
• The difference between living values and paying lip service
• Informal behaviors and cultures of psychological safety are what actually move organizations forward 15:34
• Psychological Safety & Candid Conversations
• The value of calling out hidden conversations and creating space for honest dialogue 19:01
• Building trust so challenging topics can be addressed openly
• The Emotional Journey of Change
• Organizations often underestimate the feelings of loss and discomfort that accompany change 27:50
• Acknowledging and working through the "endings" is vital for healthy transitions
• What Success in Change Feels Like
• When people experience clarity, momentum, and shared ownership, change becomes part of everyday work 32:01
• Change fatigue is more often about poor prioritization than too much change

Practical Takeaways

• Sustainable change involves shaping systems, not just delivering projects
• Leadership consistency and small, visible wins are crucial
• Create intentional spaces for collaboration and reflection
• Measure and discuss the impact of "soft" skills in hard results terms
• Build psychological safety for real, honest dialogue
• Don’t skip over the emotional journey or the importance of endings
• Judge where to put your energy—not everyone will be convinced at the same pace

If you have thoughts, questions, or stories to share, Ruth would love to hear from you.

Connect with Ruth:

Instagram

LinkedIn 

Website