Change Signal

Michael Bungay Stanier
  • 4.8 (5)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

If you’re leading change in organizations, this will be your favourite podcast. Change is harder than ever. Transformation is more complex, unpredictable and overwhelming than it’s ever been. Change Signal cuts through the noise to find the good stuff that works. Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit and organizational transformation student for thirty years, talks to the best thinkers, senior leaders, and experienced practitioners in the world of change, to find what works, what doesn’t, and what to try instead. With Change Signal as your guide, you’ll be more efficient and less overwhelmed, and your change projects will more likely succeed. Change Signal: Where we cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works.  Sign up for weekly updates at TheChangeSignal.com

  1. What “Trust State” Are You In? Rachel Botsman

    1 HR AGO

    What “Trust State” Are You In? Rachel Botsman

    Here are three provocative questions that arise from this Change Signal conversation with Rachel Botsman:  What kind of trust are you actually building?  How much uncertainty can you hold before you grab for control?  And when was the last time you slowed down enough to build real trust instead of just speed? Rachel Botsman—Oxford University lecturer, author of How to Trust and Be Trusted, and one of the world’s foremost thinkers on trust—joins me to explore the fragile, fascinating relationship between trust and change. She makes a compelling case that trust isn’t about control or certainty; it’s a confident relationship with the unknown. We dig into why every change is a “trust leap,” why leaders need to spot their people’s different trust states, and why “move fast and break things” might be the worst mantra for transformation. If you’re leading a big change or cultural shift, this episode offers a fresh, human take on what actually helps people cross the sea of uncertainty with you. Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change. If you’re a transformational leader seeking modern change mastery, you’re in exactly the right place. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    29 min
  2. Are You Measuring What Matters? Dr. Ryan Brown

    17 DEC

    Are You Measuring What Matters? Dr. Ryan Brown

    Here are three provocative questions that arise from this Change Signal conversation with Dr. Ryan Brown: What are you measuring that doesn’t matter?  Where might your data be lying to you?  And what if the “immeasurable” parts of change are exactly what count? Ryan’s a behavioral scientist who studies how organizations measure what actually works—especially in complex, human systems of change. We talk about why measurement needs to start with humility—the courage to admit you might not know what’s really creating impact—and how clarity about your true objectives changes everything. He shares his simple but powerful framework: measure across three domains—feelings, thoughts, and behaviors—so you capture both what people do and what they believe. And we dig into the hidden traps of data itself: how metrics get gamed, why context shapes truth, and why “data never speak for themselves.” If you lead large-scale transformation, this episode helps you move beyond dashboards and surveys to something more essential—learning what’s real, what matters, and what’s worth measuring at all. Change Signal. Where transformational change leaders seek and find modern change wisdom. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    26 min
  3. The Obvious/Elusive Idea That Transforms Meetings: Misha Glouberman

    12 DEC

    The Obvious/Elusive Idea That Transforms Meetings: Misha Glouberman

    Here are three big questions that Misha Glouberman asks in the quest for better change gatherings: What if the way you’re structuring your events is stopping the very change you want to create? How might things shift if you assumed everyone involved was a competent adult? And are your “best practices” actually working against your goals? Misha Glouberman is a master of human dynamics and group design — a facilitator who’s spent decades helping people run better meetings, conferences, and community events. In this short, lively conversation, he shares four simple rules for creating gatherings that actually work — and how those same rules apply to change projects of every kind. You’ll hear why most organizations forget to ask the most basic question (“What’s this for?”), how to design experiences that align with your real goals, and why giving people more control creates more engagement, not chaos. If your change initiatives involve bringing people together — in rooms, on screens, or across departments — this episode will make you rethink how you host, design, and lead. Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change. If you’re a transformational leader seeking modern change mastery, you’re in exactly the right place. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    7 min
  4. What Project Management Must Be Today: Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez

    10 DEC

    What Project Management Must Be Today: Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez

    Here are three big questions that arise from this Change Signal conversation with Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez: Are your projects actually shaping your future? Is your team a true team — or just a group of people in meetings? And what if success isn’t about deadlines at all? Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, author of Powered by Projects and one of the world’s leading voices in project management, argues that most organizations are running too many projects — and mistaking motion for progress. Every project you approve is a bet on your organization’s future. Fewer, simpler, more purposeful projects deliver more meaningful change. He challenges how we measure success, suggesting that being “on time and on budget” means very little if no one benefits from the outcome. Real success lies in delivering tangible value to stakeholders — even if that takes longer than planned. And he’s refreshingly blunt about accountability: if your project doesn’t have a visible sponsor, stop it immediately. Because groups don’t deliver projects — teams do. If you’re leading transformation or portfolio change, this conversation reframes project management from bureaucracy to boldness — and shows you how to make every project count. Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change. If you’re a transformational leader seeking modern change mastery, you’re in exactly the right place. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    30 min
  5. Are You Influencing Without Knowing It? Vanessa Bohns

    3 DEC

    Are You Influencing Without Knowing It? Vanessa Bohns

    Here are three big questions that arise from this Change Signal conversation with Vanessa Bohns: Are you overlooking the influence you already have? What if social proof beats every logical argument? Could your smallest comments be shaping culture the most? Vanessa Bohns, professor of organizational behavior at Cornell and author of You Have More Influence Than You Think, has spent two decades studying how influence actually works — not in theory, but in the everyday reality of teams, leaders, and organizations. We talk about why influence isn’t instant or obvious — it’s delayed, cumulative, and often invisible — and why showing people what their peers are doing changes behaviour faster than any motivational speech. She also reveals how the tiniest inconsistencies, like a side comment or an eye roll, can quietly undo even the most polished change message. And the practical takeaway? Be present, ask directly (and in person), and make it easy for people to say no, so their yes really means yes. If you’re leading transformation or culture change, this conversation will help you see your influence — and your everyday leadership moments — in a whole new way. Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change. If you’re a transformational leader seeking modern change mastery, you’re in exactly the right place. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    31 min
  6. Why You Build Belonging Before Belief: Hahrie Han

    26 NOV

    Why You Build Belonging Before Belief: Hahrie Han

    Here are three big insights that emerge from this Change Signal conversation with Hahrie Han: Are you creating value or just convenience?; Does belonging come before belief in your organization?; and Are you building agency or just compliance? Hahrie Han, political scientist at Johns Hopkins University and author of How Organizations Develop Activists and Undivided, has spent her career studying how people build power that lasts. She brings a sharp, human perspective on what drives genuine participation and why small, intentional acts often change systems more than sweeping plans. The conversation explores why engagement depends less on ease and more on meaning, how “radical belonging” can transform even divided communities, and how leaders can use small, safe failures to build confidence and agency across teams. You’ll also hear practical tools for turning involvement into influence — designing scaffolding that helps people learn from risk and own their results. If you’re leading transformation, culture, or change projects in a big organization, this conversation offers fresh, grounded insight into how participation turns into durable power. Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change. This is the podcast for transformational leaders seeking modern change mastery. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    35 min
  7. Campfires Not Stadiums: Building Belonging: Charles Vogl

    19 NOV

    Campfires Not Stadiums: Building Belonging: Charles Vogl

    Here are three big insights that emerge from this Change Signal conversation with Charles Vogl:  Leadership maturity means rejecting the “Superman” myth of doing it all alone; Real change requires creating spaces where the rules are rewritten; and Belonging — and transformation — scale through small, steady “campfire” gatherings, not grand events. Charles Vogl, author of The Art of Community, has spent his career helping leaders move from heroic independence to interdependent impact. Drawing from his work with the Peace Corps, the military, and mission-driven organizations, Charles shows how leaders can build communities that hold trust, courage, and connection — without losing focus on performance. The conversation explores how to create “sacred spaces” where vulnerability is safe, why deep community often looks boring on the surface, and how scaling change means working in small units with intention. If you’re leading transformation, culture, or organizational change, this episode offers grounded, practical insight into how belonging becomes your most powerful change strategy — and why it’s time to put the Superman cape away. Change Signal. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works in change. This is the podcast for transformational leaders seeking modern change mastery. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    23 min
  8. Common Mistakes in Leading Transformational Change: Linda Ackerman

    14 NOV

    Common Mistakes in Leading Transformational Change: Linda Ackerman

    Here are three provocative questions that arise from this Change Signal conversation with Dr. Linda Ackerman Anderson: What if change were treated like finance? Are your leaders modelling the change — or just managing it? And what hidden costs are you paying for “too much change, too fast”? For forty-plus years, Linda has studied what actually derails transformational change. Her insights aren’t about tools or templates — they’re about discipline, mindset, and meaning. She shows why relevance and personal connection drive real engagement, and why most organizations still treat change as an event instead of a strategic function. We dig into the trap of leaders who delegate transformation without transforming themselves, and the illusion that people can “add” change on top of already full plates. It’s an unflinching look at how organizations overload, under-resource, and unintentionally resist the very change they want. If you lead change projects in a large organization, this episode will help you see the patterns behind slow traction and surface-level buy-in — and how to lead change that actually sticks. Change Signal. Where transformational change leaders seek and find modern change wisdom. Cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works. *** WHEN YOU’RE READY 🎧 A new episode every week (and sometimes two!) The Change Signal newsletter. Short, practical, weekly *** CONNECT 💼Connect on LinkedIn *** SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚Leave a review on Spotify

    30 min
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Trailer

4.8
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

If you’re leading change in organizations, this will be your favourite podcast. Change is harder than ever. Transformation is more complex, unpredictable and overwhelming than it’s ever been. Change Signal cuts through the noise to find the good stuff that works. Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit and organizational transformation student for thirty years, talks to the best thinkers, senior leaders, and experienced practitioners in the world of change, to find what works, what doesn’t, and what to try instead. With Change Signal as your guide, you’ll be more efficient and less overwhelmed, and your change projects will more likely succeed. Change Signal: Where we cut through the blather, the BS, and the noise to find the good stuff that works.  Sign up for weekly updates at TheChangeSignal.com

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Bungay Stanier
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025, The Banging Spaniel Corporation
  • Show Website
    Change Signal

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