Live Podcast: Martha Deery - Turning vision into impact

About this episode

Martha Deery discusses the importance of leadership in driving successful organizational change.

In this live episode of Lead Change, recorded at the ELAM program in Philadelphia, Dr. Mary Mulcahey interviews Martha Deery, a leader in organizational transformation and change strategy. Martha shares insights from her work with Kotter, emphasizing that successful change is not driven by process alone, but by leadership that inspires, empowers, and engages people at all levels. Drawing from her experience in global social impact initiatives and large-scale organizational transformation, Martha highlights the importance of understanding stakeholders, framing change as an opportunity, and creating clarity amid competing priorities. She underscores that resistance to change is often deeply personal, rooted in identity and professional investment, and that effective leaders must recognize and address these concerns. The conversation also explores the concept of distributed leadership, the importance of psychological safety, and the need for adaptability in an era of constant change. Ultimately, Martha defines “leading change” as having a vision and enabling others to take bold, sometimes uncomfortable steps in a supportive environment where they feel seen, valued, and empowered…

People in this episode

Host: Mary Mulcahey

Guest: Martha Deery

Topics covered

• organizational transformation
• leadership
• change strategy
• psychological safety
• stakeholder engagement
• distributed leadership

Keywords

• leadership
• change management
• organizational change
• stakeholders
• psychological safety
• transformation
• vision
• engagement

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kotter

Places: Philadelphia

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