Dr. Kate McCaffrey reflects on her journey with Paradigm Twist and the shift in her focus from asking the wrong question to exploring the concept of momentum in organizations. She emphasizes the importance of asking better questions and creating conditions for momentum.

Takeaways

• Asking better questions can lead to a deeper understanding of organizational challenges.
• Creating conditions for momentum is crucial for moving important work forward.

Chapters

• 00:00 Exploring Momentum

Dr. Kate McCaffrey reflects on the lessons of history and their relevance to leadership and change. She draws insights from the battlefield of Gettysburg to explore the conditions necessary for lasting success in leadership and the importance of caring for people. Dr. McCaffrey encourages asking the right questions and creating the conditions for trust, clarity, and commitment.

Takeaways

• Lessons of history inform leadership
• Creating conditions for trust, clarity, and commitment

Chapters

• 00:00 Reflections on History
• 02:07 Leadership and Change
• 03:04 Recognizing Reality
• 04:09 The High Ground of Leadership
• 05:08 The Terrain of Leadership
• 06:05 Constant Change and Uncertainty
• 07:03 Creating Momentum
• 08:28 Caring for People
• 09:29 Understanding History
• 10:34 Creating Conditions for Success

The conversation explores the critical role of middle managers and their ability to create trust, clarity, capacity, alignment, stability, and momentum within their organizations. Each chapter delves into the specific ways middle managers can achieve these objectives, providing valuable insights and strategies for effective leadership.

Takeaways

• Middle managers live in the space between strategy and execution
• Creating trust through conflict
• Creating clarity before certainty
• Creating capacity through technology
• Creating alignment in every direction
• Creating stability during uncertainty
• Creating momentum for lasting change

Chapters

• 00:00 The Role of Middle Managers
• 02:38 Creating Trust Through Conflict
• 04:10 Creating Clarity Before Certainty
• 05:37 Creating Capacity Through Technology
• 08:07 Creating Alignment in Every Direction
• 10:01 Creating Stability During Uncertainty
• 12:41 Creating Momentum for Lasting Change

Curious about how to make conditions better for you or your team? Let's talk - schedule a time here.

In this episode, Kate McCaffrey welcomes Dr. Barbara Trautlein, organizational psychologist, executive coach, and creator of the CQ® (Change Intelligence®) System, to discuss what it takes to lead through change.

They explore why people naturally resist change, how neuroscience influences our response to uncertainty, and why effective change leadership starts with self-awareness. Barbara shares practical insights from more than 35 years of helping leaders build resilience, strengthen collaboration, and lead lasting organizational change.

Whether you're leading a team, guiding organizational transformation, or working in higher education, this conversation offers practical strategies for leading with confidence, empathy, and adaptability.

• What Change Intelligence (CQ®) is and why it matters
• The neuroscience behind resistance to change
• The role of self-awareness in leading change
• Strategies for building trust and reducing resistance
• Change management vs. change leadership
• Creating cultures that embrace change

• "We are all change leaders, regardless of our role."
• "Change equals pain in the brain."
• "Resistance is normal and natural."

00:00 Introduction to Change Intelligence
01:02 Barbara's Journey
04:06 Higher Education Challenges
06:07 The CQ® Framework
10:18 Applying Change Intelligence
16:08 Building CQ Across Teams
20:33 Change Management vs. Leadership
22:42 The Human Side of Change
26:43 Reframing Resistance
28:33 Communication & "Soak Time"
32:26 Building Capacity for Change

Change Intelligence® by Barbara A. Trautlein, PhD

Case Study: A Community College Finds New Power and Direction in the CQ® System

Find out more about Change Catalysts® here. 

Website: https://changecatalysts.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaratrautlein/

Barbara A. Trautlein, PhD is an expert in change leadership, speaker, founder of Change Catalysts, bestselling author of Change Intelligence, and creator of the CQ® System. For more than 35 years, she has helped organizations including Abbott, BP, Cisco, Deloitte, Northwestern University, and the United Nations lead successful change initiatives.

Dr. Kate McCaffrey is CEO and Founder of Paradigm Twist, LLC, partnering with leaders and organizations to strengthen leadership, communication, and organizational effectiveness.

Connect with Kate
Website: https://www.twistyourparadigm.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccaff/

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and join us for more conversations on leadership and organizational growth.

The conversation explores the impact of change on relationships, the role of voice and tone in communication, creating emotional safety, inviting healthy conflict, building trust, modeling the desired tone as a leader, and reflection for personal growth.

Takeaways

• Voice and tone play a crucial role in communication and can impact relationships.
• Creating emotional safety and inviting healthy conflict are essential for effective communication and relationship-building.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Change Management

In this episode of Twisting Paradigms IRL, Dr. Kate McCaffrey talks with Dr. Amy Climer to explore the relationship between creativity, innovation, & leadership. Amy shares practical strategies for building creative teams, fostering trust, & creating environments where innovation can thrive.

Together, they discuss how leaders can intentionally cultivate creativity within their organizations and rethink traditional approaches to team dynamics, and problem-solving.

• Difference between creativity and innovation
• Elements needed for team creativity
• Creative problem solving process
• Building trust and psychological safety
• Designing intentional team spaces and meetings

"Creativity is a novelty that is valuable."

"Small process changes can reduce stress."

"Make space for creativity in your schedule."

00:00 Introduction to Creativity and Innovation in Organizations

02:20 Defining Creativity and Innovation

05:30 The Role of Leadership in Fostering Creativity

09:44 Creative Problem Solving Process

12:08 Team Dynamics and Trust in Creative Environments

16:18 Cooperation vs. Collaboration in Teams

20:18 The Purpose of Collaboration vs. Cooperation

22:49 Rethinking Meeting Structures for Productivity

29:13 Creating Inclusive and Innovative Team Environments

33:00 Intentionality in Team Dynamics and Space

35:19 Deliberate Creativity in Team Meetings

Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results
https://climerconsulting.com/book

Climer Cards
https://climercards.com

The Deliberate Creative Podcast
https://climerconsulting.com

Website
https://climerconsulting.com

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyclimer/

Dr. Amy Climer teaches teams and organizations how to increase their creativity so they can maximize innovation. She is a speaker, trainer, consultant, and author of the award-winning book Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results. Amy is also the host of The Deliberate Creative Podcast and the creator of Climer Cards, a creativity and team-building tool. She holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change and works with organizations to build stronger, more innovative teams.

Dr. Kate McCaffrey is the CEO and Founder of Paradigm Twist, LLC. She partners with leaders and organizations to strengthen leadership capacity, communication, and organizational effectiveness through facilitation, coaching, and strategic development.

Website
https://www.twistyourparadigm.com

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccaff/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, share it with a colleague, and join us for future conversations that challenge assumptions, expand perspectives, and inspire leadership growth.

This episode explores the advocacy and leadership in women's sports, tracing the legacy of Title IX and the impact of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. It discusses the role of women in leadership, challenges and gaps in women's sports, myths and misunderstandings, the influence of athletics on leadership, and lessons from women's sports for other leaders. The conversation covers the importance of collaboration and support in sports, the need for a cultural shift and intentional support for girls in sports, the power of messaging and representation, the impact of post-game traditions and rituals, and advice for young women in sport and leadership.

Takeaways

• Advocacy and leadership in women's sports
• The impact of Title IX on women's sports Collaboration and support are essential for overcoming challenges and advancing in sports.
• Cultural shift and intentional support are crucial for encouraging girls to continue in sports.

Chapters

• 00:00 Twisting Paradigms in Real Life
• 05:31 Challenges and Gaps in Women's Sports
• 17:16 Lessons from Women's Sports for Other Leaders
• 24:54 The Value of Collaboration and Support
• 36:18 The Impact of Post-Game Traditions and Rituals

We are joined by Dr. Claire Brady, President and Founder of Glass Half Full Consulting and author of AI with Intention: The Leadership Guide for Higher Education. Dr. Claire Brady is a nationally recognized speaker, consultant, and author of AI with Intention: The Leadership Guide for Higher Education. With more than 25 years of experience in student affairs and executive leadership, she partners with colleges and universities to navigate AI adoption with clarity, strategy, and purpose.

Through keynotes, workshops, and executive advising, Claire helps leaders move beyond hype to identify practical, mission-aligned applications of AI that enhance student success, improve operations, and strengthen organizational culture. Her work is grounded in the belief that AI should not replace human connection—but create more space for it.

The conversation explores the impact of AI in higher education, and the challenges and strategies related to AI adoption and change management. It explores the importance of building trust, dealing with change fatigue, and understanding paradigms and behavior twists in the context of organizational leadership and change. It highlights the integration of AI into student workflows, building trust and transparency with students, the role of AI in student enrollment, scalability and challenges of AI implementation, the human-centric approach to AI in higher education, the impact of AI on student well-being and equity, creating a culture of AI readiness in higher education, and final thoughts and encouragement for AI adoption in education.

Takeaways

• The importance of building trust in AI adoption and navigating change fatigue
• Understanding paradigms and behavior twists in the context of organizational leadership and change - Trust and transparency are essential in integrating AI into student workflows.
• AI readiness in higher education is about creating a culture that supports meaningful engagement with AI tools.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Birth of Paradigm Twist
• 05:29 Building Capacity for Change
• 10:34 Building Trust in AI Adoption
• 15:46 Building Trust in AI Adoption
• 21:12 Integrating AI into Student Workflows
• 26:24 The Human-Centric Approach to AI in Higher Education
• 32:26 Creating a Culture of AI Readiness in Higher Education
• 38:05 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Dr. Claire Brady - Glass Half Full Consulting

Find out more about Claire and her new book launching this month: AI with Intention

The conversation explores the concept of a caring university and the incremental changes needed to transform institutional culture. It shares the origin story of this concept, the assessment and improvement of culture, the role of policy and procedure, and the importance of the employee value proposition in addressing institutional challenges. The conversation explores the challenges of workload, organizational capacity for change, and the need to prioritize quality over quantity in higher education. It emphasizes the importance of people-first change, building readiness, and empowering end users in change processes. The discussion also explores the need to update workplace mindsets and policies, embrace small wins, and reconstruct organizational practices to achieve a more caring university environment.

Dr. Kevin R. McClure is a Professor of Higher Education and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He also serves as Co-Director of the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges. 

Dr. McClure is a distinguished scholar of college leadership and organizational change. An award-winning public scholar, he has most recently served as a regular columnist at The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Dr. McClure’s best-selling book, The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace after the Great Resignation, was released with Johns Hopkins University Press in 2025.

Kevin's recent article: Higher Ed Has A Workload Problem

Connect with Kevin on Linked In

Takeaways from this episode -

• Creating a caring university
• Incremental change for institutional culture Prioritizing quality over quantity
• Emphasizing people-first change

Chapters

• 00:00 The Caring University
• 06:30 Assessing and Improving Culture
• 16:47 Employee Value Proposition
• 22:17 Doing Fewer Things Better Organizationally
• 28:08 Putting People First in Change Initiatives
• 34:29 Challenges of Letting Go and Updating Mindsets

Dr. Amy Tiberio discusses the implementation of design thinking in higher education, emphasizing the student-centered approach, diverse perspectives, and the challenges and benefits of the process. The conversation explores the Experiencing Design framework, stages of the process, and its impact on change management and team dynamics. Additionally, the potential impact of design thinking on higher education and the encouragement of a student-centered approach are highlighted.

Amy Tiberio, Ed.D., is a higher education leader, writer, and speaker passionate about institutional innovation and the future of education. Through her Substack and LinkedIn newsletter, Embracing Disruption in Higher Education, she explores the intersection of leadership, change management, and equity — translating complex research into ideas practitioners can actually use. Amy has spent over two decades in enrollment management at institutions across New England, including Bentley University, Stonehill College, and, most recently, Roger Williams University, where she serves as Vice President for Enrollment Management and a member of the President's Cabinet. She has presented at national conferences, including EDUCAUSE and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), on topics ranging from AI strategy to equity in admissions to women's leadership. She holds an Executive Doctorate in Higher Education from Boston College, where her research focused on leadership, institutional change, and equity in higher education. Outside of work, Amy is an avid yoga practitioner and believes deeply that personal wellness and great leadership go hand in hand.

Takeaways

• Design thinking centers the student experience
• Design thinking encourages diverse perspectives and engagement
• Design thinking requires intentional facilitation and time commitment

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Design Thinking
• 05:00 Experiencing Design Framework
• 11:01 Creating an Environment for Creativity
• 17:03 Impact on Change Management
• 23:09 Building Team Synergy
• 28:02 Encouraging Student-Centered Approach

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