Employee Experience Pioneer Cat Collela-Graham talks Making Change Stick, Successful Team Management Skills, and Reclaiming Your Superpower

Cat Colella Graham didn't just secure the first and only trademark for "employee experience" in 2005 - she built an entire career philosophy around turning uncertainty into opportunity, transforming organizational cultures through the power of strategic communication, and proving that the most fulfilling professional journeys rarely follow a straight line. 

Guest Bio

Cat Colella Graham is an adjunct professor, internal communications consultant and coach, and a recognized trailblazer who secured the first and only trademark for "employee experience" in 2005. Known as a trusted changemaker with a proven track record of driving meaningful transformation through strategic communications, Cat founded the Employee Experience Agency Cheer Partners, which she successfully built and sold to Lippy Taylor Group. She's worked with industry giants including Amazon Alexa, Elastic, Ernst & Young, and Work Human, serving as what she calls "the internal comms nanny" - stepping in to fill critical gaps and deliver immediate value. Cat is also a TED Fellow and translator, bringing global perspectives to everything she creates. Her expertise spans change management, organizational culture, employee engagement, and the intersection of AI and human-centered communication.

Connect with Cat:

• LinkedIn: Cat Colella Graham - https://www.linkedin.com/in/catgraham/

Content Sample:

Cat delivers three game-changing insights that challenge conventional career wisdom:

1. The Patchwork Quilt Philosophy: Cat reimagines career success not as climbing a ladder but as creating a "patchwork quilt of the good you want to put in the universe." 

2. The Manager-Employee Nexus:  Cat reveals that "the smallest unit of culture is between manager and employee." Leadership can proclaim values from the mountaintop, but transformation lives or dies in daily manager interactions. 

3. AI as Your Creative Partner, Not Your Replacement: Cat offers an electrifying perspective on artificial intelligence that goes beyond the typical fear or hype. 

Key Takeaways

[07:00] – Making Change Stick in Organizations Leaders must equip managers with FAQ documents, clear talking points, and permission to communicate "fast and often" with their teams. 

[14:00] – Building Successful Team Cultures High-performing teams share two critical characteristics.

[23:00] – Recognizing When to Leave Cat's experience with a bullying boss taught her an invaluable lesson: not all failures are yours to own. 

[35:00] – The $2.99 Superpower Tool For anyone in career transition, Cat recommends downloading the SY Partners "Superpower Cards" app—a game that identifies your unique professional superpower.

[38:00] – Reframing "Fake It Till You Make It" Cat distinguishes between authentic confidence and false expertise. 

Suggestions:

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Host Information:

This insightful session was hosted by Jolie Downs with Paradigm.

Connect with Jolie:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joliedowns/