Change Leader Insights

In this very special episode of Change Leader Insights, host Jessica Crow reconnects with former guest Hannah Jordan, Organizational Change Manager at Larimer County, for a full-circle conversation marking the show's final episode! Hannah, who was the first guest on the show in 2023, reflects on her journey from social work to change management and how she’s evolved from a rule-following new practitioner to an adaptable, trusted voice leading people-centered change. With a background in social work and professional training in change management (PROSCI Certified Advanced Change Practitioner, Lean Change Agent, and BRMP), Hannah helps teams navigate change with empathy, strong relationships, and open dialogue. In her free time, she enjoys hiking Colorado's 14ers, rock climbing, and spending time with her three cats. During the conversation, Hannah shares how she brings a people-first lens to change leadership and the lessons she’s learned along the way. As someone who loves process and structure, Hannah also shares how she once feared not “doing change management the right way,” and how she’s learned to trust her instincts, prioritize human connection, and redefine what success means in her role.   Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ Why conversations matter more than deliverables, and how to use tools to drive clarity and insight ☑️ A personal story about the power of connection and how to build trust by building relationships ☑️ How being a change leader who doesn’t like change has become one of Hannah’s superpowers ☑️ Why focusing on your “why” and trusting your gut is more important than getting every step “right” This episode is a powerful reminder that leading change is about connection, credibility, and consistency, not credentials alone. Whether you're new to the field or rethinking your approach, Hannah’s journey and stories will inspire you to lean into your voice, your values, and your own way of leading change.

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, host Jessica Crow speaks with Jenny Lavey, a seasoned HR executive and co-founder of Rise HR, about the real reasons employees resist change—and what leaders can do to reduce change fatigue and rebuild trust. With over 20 years of experience in HR across healthcare, higher education, retail, and tech, Jenny is known for cultivating joyful, high-performing workplaces that drive tangible business results. Her unique approach blends strategic business acumen with a dose of humor, empowering teams to leverage individual strengths and achieve outstanding results. Jenny is also a certified coach in Gallup CliftonStrengths, 3 Vital Questions, Dare to Lead, and Coactive Coaching, making her a go-to partner for organizations navigating transformation with humanity, humor, and heart. During the conversation with Jess, Jenny shares her journey from corporate HR to launching Rise HR, a people-first consultancy helping small and mid-size companies strengthen their cultures and manage complex change. Drawing on her own experience guiding organizations through COVID, restructuring, and digital transformation, she breaks down the disconnect between leadership expectations and employee capacity for change, and what leaders can do about it. Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ Why “resistance to change” is often just a lack of time, clarity, or control ☑️ The high cost of rushing change—and how slowing down actually leads to better outcomes ☑️ What happens when leaders involve people's voices early and prioritize fewer, high-leverage initiatives If you’re leading change (or just trying to survive it), this episode will leave you with insight, laughter, and a clear reminder: we need to slow down if we want change to stick.

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Jules Wilhelm, the creator, founder, and president of Capacity Leader Center, Cardia Counseling Center, and EQ-niversity™, about what every change leader needs to know about emotional intelligence (EQ) but probably didn’t learn in school.  Jules, who has nearly 30 years of experience in elite counseling and coaching, is currently focused on transforming the leadership of the world’s top executives. Her mission? To train 1.1 million people in the skills that help us lead—and live—with greater connection, compassion, and emotional clarity. During the conversation with Jess, Jules introduces her EQ Roadmap, a powerful four-step framework leaders can use to manage high-emotion moments, build trust quickly, and create safe, productive environments where change can take root. They also explore why even the smartest leaders lose their cool during stressful conversations, and how building “muscle memory” for emotionally intelligent leadership can transform everything from performance to retention. Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ How to use curiosity, emotional labeling, and co-regulation to de-escalate conflict and get unstuck ☑️ Why investing in emotional intelligence helps people feel seen—and stay—at work ☑️ How to teach your team to ask for what they really need (without awkwardness or therapy vibes) Jules also shares how the ROI of emotional intelligence shows up in measurable business outcomes: better retention, faster conflict resolution, and stronger team performance. Whether you’re managing change in a high-pressure environment or just trying to lead with more humanity, this episode is packed with tools you’ll use. If you want to learn how to lead change with more compassion, clarity, and emotional resilience, don’t miss this conversation with Jules Wilhelm.

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Jen Coken, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, and best-selling author, about the “inner game” of leadership and how women can own their authority, lead authentically, and overcome imposter moments. Featured on ABC, MSNBC, and TEDx, Jen has 25 years of experience empowering leaders to break barriers and lead boldly. Known for her no-nonsense style and relatable humor, she has coached nearly 10,000 global leaders, including Fortune 1000 CEOs, to drive meaningful transformation. Her book, Make Imposter Syndrome Your Superpower, gives women in STEM actionable tools to turn self-doubt into a leadership advantage. Through retreats, keynotes, and coaching programs, she equips women to claim their authority and inspire lasting change. During the conversation, Jen shares her journey from working in male-dominated industries to creating a coaching practice that helps women lead people, projects, and change as their authentic selves, without code-switching, downplaying accomplishments, or abandoning their intuition. Her philosophy centers on building inner authority (authenticity) and outer influence (inspiring teams), while also managing the “hidden leader” moments when self-doubt or external criticism can cause leaders to shrink. Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ The four leadership types and how they can help leaders guide teams through change more effectively ☑️ How to address high performers who create resistance or undermine transformation efforts ☑️ Tools for overcoming self-doubt, and how to position yourself for leadership during times of transition If you want to learn how to build unshakable confidence, inspire your team, and lead meaningful change while staying true to yourself, you won’t want to miss Jen’s insights in this episode.

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Catalyst Constellations co-founders, Tracey Lovejoy and Shannon Lucas, about what it means to be a change Catalyst, why these individuals are often misunderstood in the workplace, and how Catalysts can leverage their strengths to help organizations successfully innovate and change, without burning out in the process. As leaders and co-authors of the book Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out., Tracey and Shannon share how their personal and professional experiences led them to identify a distinct group of people who are visionary and action-oriented and how understanding this group, called Catalysts, can transform how change leaders work, collaborate, and thrive. Tracey Lovejoy is a visionary leader dedicated to empowering Catalysts and driving transformative change. After leaving her leadership role at Microsoft, she built a research base around a group of high-energy changemakers and formed Catalyst Constellations with Shannon Lucas in 2017. Shannon Lucas, a global innovation leader with more than two decades of experience driving intrapreneurship within Fortune 500 companies and startups, found her own “aha” moment when working with Tracey—realizing that being a Catalyst explained both her passion and burnout cycles. Together, they now help Catalysts thrive and lead sustainable change. During the episode, Jessica, Tracey, and Shannon explore the five key attributes that define a Catalyst, how their unique wiring can both accelerate change and unintentionally create friction, and why self-awareness, humility, and energy management are critical for long-term success. Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ What it means to be a Catalyst, and why these future-focused individuals are essential for helping organizations adapt, innovate, and stay ahead in complex, ever-changing environments ☑️ How Catalyst traits like speed, intensity, and rapid iteration can become a barrier to change without the right guardrails, and why learning to listen, slow down, and lead with humility is essential for impact ☑️ Why burnout is common among Catalysts, and how understanding your own energy and decoupling your identity from your ideas can help prevent it If you’ve ever felt like the only one pushing for change—or wondered why leading innovation feels so exhausting—this episode will make you feel seen. Tune in to learn how to work with your Catalyst nature, not against it!

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Renelle Everett Darr, founder of InSight Coaching & Consulting and host of Conscious Insights: Strategies for Leadership Evolution podcast and video series, about conscious leadership and consciousness awakening for change leaders. Renelle is deeply committed to activating evolved workplaces that nurture and fuel human potential and organizational growth. She works with CEO's, top teams, and organizations to navigate this ever-changing, complex landscape. With over 25 years of global transformation expertise, she brings an energetic and inspiring presence to leadership and organizational transformation. She is known for her ability to see the bigger picture, help leaders and teams integrate the head and heart, and make courageous leaps forward. During the conversation, Renelle shared her definition of conscious leadership and how she explains it to people she supports in her work. Says Renelle, “Conscious leadership is a shift from being fully in our heads, reactive, and triggered to really leading with our whole self, meaning also our bodies. Our gifts come from the same place a lot of our triggers come from and how we learned to keep ourselves safe, and that shows up in leadership.” Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ A deep look at conscious leadership and how our triggers and gifts show up in our work as change leaders ☑️ The impact of perfectionism on change leaders in the workplace ☑️ How to develop self-awareness as a change leader when you don’t have direct access to a coach to support the process If you want to learn more about conscious leadership, be sure to tune in and hear what Renelle has to say!

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Derek Oaks, an author, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and former fighter pilot and commander in the United States Air Force, about confident leadership and how to lead people effectively. Colonel Derek Oaks owns Decisive Leadership LLC, which provides executive consulting, Department of Defense expertise, and keynote speeches and workshops, and has also worked with numerous small businesses as an owner, consultant, COO, Director and Subject Matter Expert. His Air Force career culminated as the Commander, 23rd Fighter Group, which included two fighter squadrons, an operational support squadron, a range squadron, two airfields, and the largest Air-to-Ground Training Range East of the Mississippi River. During the conversation, Jessica and Derek discussed leaders’ responsibility to set a vision for their teams to drive progress. Derek explained that leaders need to sit back, set the vision, and then communicate it to their teams. Says Derek, “Get the team on board with where you want to go and then empower them with that vision. Give them a chunk [of the vision], make them responsible for it, and don’t get in their way.” Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ Why casting a vision is a critical component of being a strong leader and setting teams up for success in organizational change ☑️ The leadership impact of teaching and transferring knowledge, and then getting out of the way to let people apply and utilize the knowledge themselves ☑️ Why understanding individuals’ visions can create a foundation for teams to succeed, which helps them better navigate change and disruption If you want to learn more about confident leadership, be sure to tune in and hear what Derek has to say!

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Divya Visentini, an executive growth marketing leader and founder of Navstella, about change, artificial intelligence (AI), and the evolution of growth marketing. Divya Visentini is a seasoned leader with nearly 25 years of experience in marketing, sales, and client management, known for driving B2B growth, account-based marketing, and data-driven strategies. With deep expertise in first-party and zero-party data strategies, customer data platforms, and advanced marketing technologies, Divya has helped organizations stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Her success is rooted in a data and outcome-driven approach, seamlessly integrating strategy, creativity, and technology to solve complex client challenges. During the conversation, Divya shared a story about a business owner involving her team members in automating and digitizing aspects of their work using technology to enable the growth of her people. Says Divya, “[She’s] giving them what I always call a ‘sight of land.’ Change requires people to either be able to see land or at least have a sense of where that land is and which direction it’s in. The ship spins in circles if they don’t know they are sailing toward land. But if you give them a sense of land, they know where their bearings are.” Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ A brief history of the evolution of marketing as digital tools emerged and reshaped the marketer landscape ☑️ The impact of AI on functions across organizations and adapting to significant technological challenges ☑️ The connection between change management and rapidly evolving technology (and how businesses are feeling the impact) If you want to learn more about change and technology, be sure to tune in and hear what Divya has to say!

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Rich Steele, a technology leader with 25+ years of experience driving project delivery and transformational change, about leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and change. As the Enterprise AI Practice Leader at Execution Specialists Group (ESG), Rich guides clients through strategic planning, implementation, and optimization, harnessing the full potential and promise of AI and other technologies to accelerate growth, transform operations, and empower employee and customer experiences. Previously, Rich was the Director of the Central Portfolio Management Office at Charles Schwab and has held senior leadership roles at DaVita Healthcare Partners and JPMorgan Chase. He is also on the AI Advisory Board for Denver University, has presented at the Gartner PMO Symposium, and has been a guest speaker at Syracuse University and the Colorado School of Mines. During the conversation, Jessica asked Rich what questions organizations should ask when implementing AI. Says Rich, “The first question to ask is fundamentally, ‘Where are you trying to go? What problems do you have? What do you want to be when you grow up?’ There’s this tendency to want to jump on the bandwagon. AI’s implications on your company, culture, and business processes can be huge. It’s important to be intentional about where you’re trying to go.” Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ A brief history of AI and the expected impacts on the global economy ☑️ An overview of what organizations should consider when implementing AI to make it a lasting success for their teams ☑️ Advice for preparing for a future state in which humans collaborate with AI to do their jobs If you want to learn more about AI and change, be sure to tune in and hear what Rich has to say! For more on maximizing AI’s potential while emphasizing the human element, read Rich’s latest LinkedIn article (mentioned in the episode): AI Adoption – 3 Priorities that Emphasize the Human Element in the Age of Intelligence: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-adoption-3-priorities-emphasize-human-element-age-richard-steele-eeaqc/

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Jeff Skipper, an international expert in accelerating change and author, about the value of selling to activate behavior change and how conducting workshops can help. For more than 25 years, clients such as IBM, Suncor, Goldman Sachs, and The Salvation Army have engaged Jeff Skipper to achieve dramatic results during strategic transformation by wrapping complex change in motivating mission. Jeff holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and is a Certified Change Management Professional. His first book, Dancing with Disruption, was published in 2023, and his second, out now, is a reference book of 30 workshop exercises to help people understand, support, and navigate the change journey. During the conversation, Jessica asked Jeff to share one tip that consistently benefits teams with unique challenges and opportunities. Says Jeff, “Going and building one-on-one relationships with influencers within an organization...you’ve got to get one-on-one with people and, hopefully in a casual setting, get to know them as individuals.” Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ An often overlooked link between change management and sales (and how to use it to your advantage) ☑️ A look into why Jeff wrote his latest book, High-Impact Workshops for Leading Change, and how change professionals can use it to conduct innovative, more engaging workshops outside of common ones ☑️ How to make change methodologies work best for you and your team while honoring the need to flex If you want to learn how to use selling to your advantage when leading change, be sure to tune in and hear what Jeff has to say!

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Minette Norman, an award-winning author, speaker, leadership consultant, and former Silicon Valley software executive, about how psychological safety and strong listening skills create inclusive change leaders. Minette knows that when groups embrace diversity in all forms, breakthroughs emerge, and innovation accelerates. Before starting her consultancy, she was responsible for influencing over 3,500 engineers around the globe at Autodesk, focusing on state-of-the-art engineering practices while nurturing a collaborative and inclusive culture. As the author of The Boldly Inclusive Leader and the co-author of The Psychological Safety Playbook, Minette helps leaders unleash the full potential of the people in their organizations. During the conversation, Jessica and Minette discussed what change leaders can do to create more psychologically safe environments. Says Minette, “If you are leading change, one of the first things you are going to have to do if you want to create an environment where people will speak up and share what’s on their mind is you have to ask them to explicitly share their ideas. Ask the question, ‘What am I missing?’” Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ Practical tips for leaders to become better active listeners and support their team members effectively ☑️ Signs and symptoms of psychologically unsafe environments and tips for improving psychological safety in your environment ☑️ Examples of how low psychological safety during change leads to a cascade of negative consequences If you want to learn more about psychological safety and listening, be sure to tune in and hear what Minette has to say!

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Apogy founder Jessica Crow kicks off 2025 with a brief introduction and the 2025 Change Leader Insights topics lineup! Jessica started the Change Leader Insights podcast in 2022 to emphasize the importance of building change capability, help leaders consider their impact on the people they work with, and offer advice for creating work environments where people and change thrive. Change Leader Insights is Apogy’s way of sharing the collective wisdom and experience of change leaders everywhere to help individuals and teams find strategies and tools that work for them. In 2025, expect two monthly episodes with guests from varying experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We’ll continue to cover change management, change leadership, self-leadership, ways to prevent change fatigue and burnout, and new this year: artificial intelligence and the ethics of change. If you know someone who would be a good fit for the show or want to hear more about a topic, reach out to Jessica at info@apogy.biz. Happy New Year from Apogy! We look forward to another incredible year with you!

In this episode of Change Leader Insights, Jessica Crow speaks with Kristen Olson, an entrepreneur, athlete, podcaster, and speaker, about the concept of “Grateful Disruption” and the power of genuine influence in the workplace, especially during times of change. Kristen Olson is a founder, host, human, lifelong athlete, and business creative with over 25 years of experience in marketing and branding within the fitness and lifestyle industry. She is a highly-skilled, passionate, driven, and proven leader with deep success in tactical, high-end strategic partnerships, large-scale team/brand building, and creative strategy. You can find her and her guests at https://turmericandtequila.com/. During the conversation, Jessica and Kristen discussed the future of leadership in the workplace and what will matter most for our next generation of change leaders. Says Kristen, "What's the one thing you can't replicate? Your humanness, your authenticity, and your being you. Make yourself irreplaceable, and if the only way to do that is to be authentic, that's what it is." Highlights from the conversation include: ☑️ A dive into why authenticity will drive the success of future workplace leaders ☑️ How changes like artificial intelligence (AI) are causing shifts in the types of skills people will need in leadership roles ☑️ The idea that we need both leaders and followers at work and understanding when a leadership role might not be the best fit for you If you want to learn more about "Grateful Disruption” and influence, be sure to tune in and hear what Kristen has to say!