Kelly introduces Thoughts On Change as a podcast about the human side of leading change and explains the recent progression from “Resistobots” (internal reactions to discomfort) to the Transform framework and now a focus on credibility. She shares feedback, especially from women in continuous improvement roles, who are doing the work but want to be trusted to lead real change. Kelly argues credibility isn’t an add-on or ego-driven goal but an outcome that emerges from how leaders respond under pressure, handle pushback, balance empathy with direction, and move change forward without steamrolling people. By noticing Resistobots and shifting from automatic reactions to observing, revealing root causes, and making alliances, leaders reduce feelings of being managed and build momentum without burnout. She names this way of being “the change shaper,” previews upcoming practical applications (“being fluent in change”), and invites listeners to the next episode.

00:00 Welcome to the Show

00:36 Series Shift Explained

01:19 Why Credibility Matters

02:05 Credibility Emerges

03:11 Becoming a Change Shaper

04:34 You Are Right on Time

05:01 Fluent in Change Preview

06:05 Next Episode Teaser

06:21 Closing and Sendoff

Links:

https://www.kellymallery.com/thoughtsonchange

Video:

https://youtu.be/-RlhNi37Duo

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.

Kelly Mallery introduces the first CI Warrior interview on Thoughts On Change with Abby Kovarik, a continuous improvement specialist at Raymond Corp (a Toyota Material Handling brand), who focuses on strengthening people, clarifying work, and building problem-solving confidence. Abby shares how an internship during college led her into lean, including a mindset shift about inventory as waste, and defines muda through the TIMWOODS wastes, emphasizing unused skills as especially important. She discusses early challenges as a young woman in a male-dominated environment, learning to manage emotions, communicate passion professionally, and recognize the human side of change. Abby describes 12 weeks of coaching with Kelly that helped her slow down, notice control patterns, and become more intentional. She now prioritizes culture change by enabling teams and engaging leadership so lean becomes “how we do business,” advising others that they don’t need to fix things to be valuable.

00:00 Welcome to Thoughts On Change

00:34 Meet Abby Kovarik

02:36 Abby’s CI Origin Story

04:25 Lean Mindset Shift

06:22 Muda and TIMWOODS

10:49 Choosing a CI Career

12:40 Challenges as a Woman

17:26 Bringing the Human Element

20:37 Coaching Takeaways

23:12 From Doer to Culture Builder

26:12 Advice for CI Warriors

28:35 Connect and Wrap Up

Connect with Abby Kovarik:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-kovarik-b81519202/

Video:

https://youtu.be/jrBTr9PXM0s

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.

Kelly explains that even with integrity, clear intent, relationships, and gemba time, credibility won’t stick without delivering results—solving not only the requested problem but also the hidden, unspoken one. She describes three layers behind common CI requests like “we need 5S”: the surface tool request, the performance gap (missed output, delays, excess inventory), and the deeper systems-and-behaviors layer where cultural friction determines whether change sustains. Implementing only what’s asked can actually hurt credibility because leaders expect the real problem to be solved. Kelly emphasizes two skills to reach deeper layers: insatiable curiosity through strong questions and judgment-free observation. In a 5S example, she uncovered output issues and leadership behaviors, coached both the team lead and leader, solved all three layers, and became a trusted cultural partner. She closes with actionable questions, a share/subscribe request, workshop offer, and a teaser for a first CI Warrior interview episode.

00:00 Credibility Needs Results

01:57 Why Tools Alone Fail

03:43 Three Layers of Problems

06:03 Skills to Go Deeper

06:25 5S Story in Practice

10:57 Action Steps and Questions

12:24 Share Subscribe Next Episode

13:22 Final Wrap and Mantra

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl7E_s4YF7k

Links:

https://www.kellymallery.com/workshops

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.

In this episode of 'Thoughts on Change,' Kelly explores the critical role of intent in building credibility during change initiatives. Understanding that people judge us based on our behavior while we judge ourselves by our intent is crucial. Kelly discusses how to bridge this gap by clearly stating our intentions and ensuring our actions align with them. She offers practical steps for examining and declaring your motives and stresses the importance of assuming positive intent to maintain trust. Tune in for actionable insights on how to influence change effectively without losing your credibility.

00:00 Introduction to Intent and Credibility

01:15 Understanding Intent: Motives and Perceptions

03:11 Real-Life Example: The Hour-by-Hour Tracking System

04:10 Lessons on Declaring and Aligning Intent

07:20 Practical Tips for Building Credibility

08:38 Conclusion and Next Steps

 Video:

https://youtu.be/ZmGb5bRjFtU 

Links:

https://www.kellymallery.com/coaching

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.

In this episode of 'Thoughts on Change,' host Kelly delves into the discrepancy CI (Continuous Improvement) professionals often feel between their potential contributions and the tasks leaders assign to them. Emphasizing the politics, emotions, and human aspects of leading change, Kelly explores why CI practitioners struggle with credibility and influence. The discussion focuses on integrity as a cornerstone of credibility, highlighting its practical and visible nature in leadership roles. Through personal anecdotes and actionable advice, listeners learn how to align their actions with their words and values, thereby enhancing their credibility and fostering culture change. The episode sets the stage for future discussions on influence and credibility, inviting listeners to follow on social media for more insights.

00:00 Introduction: The CI Role Dilemma

00:23 Welcome to Thoughts on Change

00:53 The Credibility Challenge

02:16 Understanding Integrity in CI

02:54 Practical Examples of Integrity

04:23 Dealing with Integrity Gaps

05:24 Building Credibility Through Integrity

06:25 Conclusion and Next Steps

06:59 Closing Remarks

 Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DidskX0jgDM

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-mallery-coaching/

https://www.instagram.com/kellymallerycoaching/

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.

In this episode of Thoughts On Change, Kelly discusses how change leaders often create the resistance they face and introduces various archetypes, dubbed 'Resistobots,' which embody different counterproductive behaviors. These include Commandax (the controller), Factron (the rational), Softstep (the accommodator), Shellout (the avoider), Quickshift (the fixer), and Doctrina (the preacher). Kelly shares a personal story about encountering resistance at an aerospace manufacturer and explains how identifying and addressing the root causes of resistance, rather than fighting it, leads to more effective change management. Listeners are encouraged to transform their approach by facing their resist bots, observing the scene, revealing roots of resistance, and making alliances with empathy and curiosity.

00:00 Introduction to Thoughts On Change

00:49 Understanding Resistance in Change

01:51 Types of Resistance Fighters

02:43 Real-Life Example: Overcoming Resistance

04:49 Meet the Resist Bots

07:06 Defeating Your Resist Bots

09:16 Conclusion and Resources

Podcast Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYi9x8aLdrQ

https://www.kellymallery.com/workshops

https://www.kellymallery.com/findyourresistobot

https://www.kellymallery.com/transform

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.

In this episode of Thoughts on Change, host Kelly explores why people resist change—even when they deal with it constantly. The answer isn't about change itself, but about the future people imagine. Kelly unpacks the psychology behind change resistance, introducing the concept of change as a "two-sided coin" where people either see gain or loss. Learn how to identify the fear of loss driving resistance and discover practical approaches from the Transform framework to help people see the positive side of change.

Timestamped Show Notes

0:00 - Introduction Kelly introduces the podcast and sets up the central question: why does change make us "kick and scream" when we experience it so frequently?

2:31 - Understanding Change Reactions Exploring what really happens when people experience change and why it's so difficult to shepherd people through workplace changes.

2:31 - The Two-Sided Coin of Change Kelly introduces the metaphor of change as a two-sided coin, using the example of bringing home a newborn to illustrate how the same change can be viewed as magical or nightmarish depending on perspective.

5:49 - The Fear of Loss Understanding why people picture negative stories where they lose something, especially with changes they didn't choose—like most workplace changes.

7:04 - Revealing the Root Kelly shares the third step of her Transform framework: revealing the root of resistance by identifying what people fear they will lose (autonomy, control, authority, purpose).

8:25 - Wrap Up Kelly teases the next episode and encourages listeners to subscribe and share with fellow change leaders.

Podcast Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJhLq4ce4os

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.

Welcome to the very first episode of Thoughts on Change! This podcast is for practical change makers—CI practitioners, culture leaders, and anyone trying to drive meaningful change without losing their minds.

In this episode, host Kelly introduces the show and shares why it exists: to help you navigate the messy, emotional, and deeply human side of leading change. Too often, change leaders are treated like doers instead of thinkers, asked to implement tools rather than transform culture. This podcast bridges that gap.

You'll learn what to expect from future episodes, including insights into credibility, intent, and integrity; real stories from the trenches; and practical takeaways you can use immediately. Kelly also shares her background in manufacturing and continuous improvement, and why she's passionate about helping you lead change with confidence and influence.

Key Takeaway: Progress beats perfection. Curiosity beats control. And culture beats everything.

Timestamped Show Notes

00:00 - Introduction
Welcome to Thoughts on Change—the podcast about the messy, human side of leading change

00:57 - The Problem: Doers vs Thinkers
Why change leaders are often treated as implementers rather than strategic thinkers

02:36 - What This Podcast Offers
Three things every episode will deliver: insights, stories, and practical takeaways

02:37 - What's Coming
A preview of upcoming topics: credibility, intent, integrity, resistance, and the Transform framework

03:56 - About Kelly
Kelly's decade-plus experience in manufacturing, CI, and leading culture change

04:50 - Call to Action
How to subscribe, follow, and start noticing the small moments where credibility matters most 

Podcast Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhY8l8CHbCY

Get in touch!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments: [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about me and how I support CI practitioners grow their credibility faster so they can have greater impact with less heartache and exhaustion, check out my website:

KellyMallery.com

There, you can find the Find Your ResistobotTM Quiz, that helps you identify your hidden patterns when resistance shows up.