About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of change leadership over change management with expert Yvonne Ruke Akpoveta.

Change is constant. But too often, leaders treat change as a project instead of a core leadership skill. That’s when teams disengage, resistance grows, and initiatives stall. The problem isn’t the change itself. It’s how it’s led. Fortunately, this week’s guest shares a powerful new approach to help leaders guide their teams through uncertainty, build trust, and turn resistance into meaningful progress. Yvonne is a Change Management Strategist & Advisor, Founder of The Change Leadership, Author, and a Change Leadership Advocate with over 20 years of experience helping professionals and organizations lead and navigate change in today's disruptive environment. In this conversation, we explore the difference between change leadership and change management, how empathy and adaptability drive adoption, and why resistance is one of the most valuable signals leaders can receive. Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email. Join the conversation now! Conversation Topics (00:00) Introduction (01:34) Change leadership vs. change management (04:24) Core change leadership skills every manager needs…

People in this episode

Host: Mamie Kanfer Stewart

Guest: Yvonne Ruke Akpoveta

Topics covered

• change leadership
• change management
• empathy
• adaptability
• stakeholder involvement
• resistance to change

Keywords

• change leadership
• change management
• leadership skills
• empathy
• adaptive leadership
• stakeholders
• resistance
• trust
• AI adoption

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Change Leadership

More episodes of The Modern Manager

• 406: What to Do Instead of “Pushing Though” During Tough Times with Jay Abbasi · May 5, 2026 · 35 min
• 404: How to Spot and Stop Toxic Workplace Culture with Aoife O’Brien · April 21, 2026 · 30 min
• 403: How To Escape The Either/Or Trap And Make Better Decisions · April 14, 2026 · 5 min
• 402: The Missing Link Between Communication and Connection with Nidhi Tewari · April 7, 2026 · 33 min
• 401: How to Use Nature to Rewire Your Brain for Greater Focus, Creativity, and Energy with Dr. John La Puma · March 31, 2026 · 34 min
• 400: Tackle the Five Sources of Stress at Work with Amy Leneker · March 24, 2026 · 34 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Modern Manager podcast page.