About this episode

In this episode, Jeff Wetherhold discusses why leaders struggle with difficult conversations and how to effectively engage people in meaningful change.

In episode 299 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Jeff Wetherhold , Harvard-trained behavioral scientist, change leadership expert, and faculty member with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Jeff has spent more than 20 years helping leaders engage people in meaningful change through the principles of Motivational Interviewing, bringing evidence-based communication strategies from healthcare into leadership, education, government, and nonprofit organizations. We talk about why so many change initiatives fail, why difficult conversations often create resistance instead of reflection, and how leaders can recognize the early signs of disengagement before they become conflict. Jeff shares practical insights on leading change with curiosity, dignity, and less exhaustion while building genuine commitment instead of compliance. In this episode, we discuss: • Why 88% of change efforts fail to create lasting impact• Why clarity and honesty alone don't guarantee productive conversations • How leaders unintentionally create defensiveness instead of engagement • The early language signals that reveal ambivalence before resistance appears • How Motivational Interviewing helps…

People in this episode

Host: Dr Elena Paweta

Guest: Jeff Wetherhold

Topics covered

• leadership
• communication
• change management
• Motivational Interviewing
• difficult conversations
• engagement
• conflict resolution

Keywords

• change initiatives
• communication strategies
• resistance
• disengagement
• trust
• ownership
• lasting change

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Harvard

More episodes of IDEAS+LEADERS

• 305. The Art of Building Relationships - Liam Cole · July 6, 2026 · 31 min
• 304. Power of Emotional Awareness - Randy Lyman · June 29, 2026 · 27 min
• 303. Taking Ownership of Your Career - Angela Finlay · June 22, 2026 · 33 min
• 302. Leadership in an Unknown Territory - Daniel Kovari · June 15, 2026 · 29 min
• 301. Scaling with Discipline - Cem Atik · June 8, 2026 · 26 min
• 300. What’s Next for IDEAS+LEADERS - Elena Pawęta · June 1, 2026 · 14 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the IDEAS+LEADERS podcast page.