In this solo episode, Sara Sheehan offers a message on unlocking the power of customized change management training, a strategic investment for CEOs. Success hinges on the ability to effectively manage business change, so investing in a private, customized version of a Mastering Change Management course is a key step for leadership teams. Sara breaks down all the ways in which customized training is an essential part of a successful transformation and details exactly how a private course would work.
There are six reasons, explained by Sara, on why a change management course is so essential for CEOS navigating complex projects. One, it is tailored specifically to suit the company investing in it. Two, it enhances leadership alignment and capability. Three, it builds organizational capacity for change, even in this era of constant disruption. Fourth, it speeds up change adoption and reduces employee resistance. Five, it’s scalable for long-term growth. And sixth, it cultivates a stronger organizational culture.
What does such a customized course look like? How is it built? Sara breaks it down into steps: 1. Initial consultation, 2. Customized content development, 3. Interactive workshops, and 4. Ongoing support. In navigating complex projects, change, and business transformation, there’s no greater toolkit to invest in than a carefully-tailored course designed to keep the leadership and team on track and engaged while key growth happens. Sara makes a compelling case for using this long-term strategy to achieve a business advantage.
About Sara Sheehan:
Sara’s professional career includes working with leaders in Fortune 100 companies and top-tier firms. She offers expert change management strategies to help businesses navigate complex transformations. Through her 25+ years of experience, she supports executives in developing change capability, in developing more leaders at more levels of the organization, and in creating high-performing teams. Sara’s knowledge spans change, organization design and effectiveness, talent development, training, marketing, business building, and business development.
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Resources discussed in this episode:
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Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting:
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Transcript
Sara 0:02
Hi there. I’m Sara Sheehan, and welcome to my podcast, Transformational Thinkers with Sara Sheehan. Today, I’m offering a monologue message on unlocking the power of customized change management training: a strategic investment for CEOs. As a CEO, you already understand that leading your company through major projects, whether it’s a digital transformation, a merger, or a strategic shift, requires much more than a robust technical strategy. Success hinges on the ability to effectively manage change and rally your workforce around the vision for the future. Change management is not just a nice to have, but a strategic imperative. That’s why investing in a private, customized version of Mastering Change Management course for your leadership team and key employees isn’t just an investment in training. It’s an investment in the future success and sustainability of your organization. In today’s volatile business landscape, organizations that excel at navigating change are more likely to achieve long-term success, yet the road to successful transformation can be rocky, with as many as 70% of large-scale projects failing to meet their objectives, according to research from McKinsey and Company. So what differentiates those who succeed from those who fail? Effective change management. By offering your leadership team and key employees a tailored change management training, you equip them with the skills, frameworks and mindset to drive change with confidence and competence. Let’s dive into why investing in a customized change management course for your company is one of the smartest, most forward-thinking decisions you can make.
Sara 2:48
The Case for customized change management training. The reason organizations fail to execute complex projects successfully is often not the quality of the strategy, but the inability to manage the human side of change, whether it is resistance to new technologies, fear of uncertainty or lack of buy-in, the human factor is what determines success or failure. A customized change management course is designed specifically to address these nuances, offering practical, actionable tools that are directly relevant to your company’s unique challenges.
Sara 3:41
Here are a few reasons why a customized change management course is essential for CEOs looking to navigate complex projects and build organizational resilience.
Sara 3:58
Number One: Tailored to your organization’s unique needs. While generic change management courses offer valuable knowledge, they often lack the depth and specificity required for exact real-world application. Every organization is unique with its own culture, challenges and opportunities. A private, customized course allows us to tailor the content to address your company’s particular needs, industry, and organizational context. In a customized course, we can focus on specific challenges your organization is facing, whether it’s managing resistance to change, building cross-functional collaboration or aligning different teams with strategic initiatives. The course will use real life case studies from within your company, providing a much more practical learning experience. This ensures that your employees walk away with a clear understanding of how to apply the concepts and techniques directly to your current and future projects.
Sara 5:33
Number Two: enhances leadership alignment and capability. For change management to succeed, it must start at the top. If your leadership team is not aligned or equipped to manage change effectively, your projects are bound to encounter roadblocks. A customized course can be designed to specifically address the needs of your leadership team, ensuring they have the tools to drive change from the front lines. By aligning your leadership on key change management principles and equipping them with the skills to manage transitions effectively, you ensure that your leaders can lead by example. The course will help your senior executives understand how to create an environment that fosters change readiness, manage stakeholder expectations, and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization. Additionally, leaders who are trained in effective change management will be better positioned to mentor and guide their teams through complex projects. They’ll learn how to support employees through uncertainty, build resilience and ensure that the changes stick long after the project is completed.
Sara 7:21
Number three: builds organizational capacity for change. In an era of constant disruption, the organizations that succeed are those that can adapt and evolve quickly. However, the ability to embrace change doesn’t happen overnight. It requires building internal capabilities to manage future changes. By investing in a customized mastering change management course, you’re not only addressing immediate change needs, but also future-proofing your organization.The skills learned in the course will help your employees at all levels build a change-ready mindset, enabling them to adapt more easily to future changes. This capability becomes embedded in your organizational culture, making it easier to implement new strategies and projects with minimal disruption. Employees who understand change management principles are more likely to embrace change, adopt new processes and contribute positively to transformation efforts when your team is equipped with these skills, the need for external consultants and third-party advisors diminishes, saving your company significant resources over time.
Sara 9:09
Number four: speeds up adoption and reduces resistance. One of the key reasons why change efforts fail is employee resistance. The resistance often arises due to fear, lack of understanding, or not knowing how the change will benefit them. A customized course will address how to manage resistance effectively, using proven techniques for driving employee engagement and buy-in. In a tailored course, we can focus on the unique pain points your employees may face during transitions, and give leaders the tools to address these issues head on. For example, if you’re implementing a new software system or rolling out a new organization structure, we can create specific strategies that help your employees understand the why behind the change and how it benefits them personally. This proactive approach will help foster a culture of openness and reduce resistance to future changes.
Sara 10:38
Number five: scalability for long-term growth. Change management isn’t a one time effort, it is an ongoing process. By investing in a customized course for your company, you build the foundational skills that will serve your company for years to come. A one-off training session is useful in the short term, but a customized course that can evolve with your organization will deliver far greater value over time. As your company grows and undergoes more complex transformations, your leadership team will be equipped with a scalable toolkit that allows them to manage change more efficiently. This scalability is critical for long-term success, as it enables your company to remain agile and responsive to shifts in the business landscape.
Sara 11:51
Number six: cultivates a stronger organizational culture. Culture plays a pivotal role in the success of change initiatives. Companies that build a culture of adaptability, openness, and continuous learning are far more likely to achieve their goals during complex projects. A customized change management course to instill these values across your organization, creating a culture that embraces change rather than resisting it. By ensuring your leadership team and employees are equipped with the right skills and mindset, you can cultivate a culture of change agility. This shift in mindset not only helps with current transformation projects, but also prepares your organization to embrace new opportunities in the future, from mergers and acquisitions to market expansions.
Sara 13:05
How a customized course works for your organization: A private customized mastering change management course is designed to be immersive, interactive, and highly relevant to your business needs. Here’s how it works.
Sara 13:30
Number one: initial consultation. We begin by understanding your organization’s strategic objectives, challenges and culture, as well as receiving context on organizational structure, stakeholders, upcoming or concurrent initiatives, and tangible project details.This helps us tailor change management approaches for maximum impact.
Sara 14:06
Two: customized content development. Based on the insights gathered, we create a tailored course that aligns with your company’s specific needs. This includes a blend of theoretical frameworks and practical tools from the base content, along with tailored approaches that your employees can use to navigate change effectively in your company.
Sara 14:38
Number three: interactive workshops. The live course is delivered through engaging workshops where participants not only learn concepts but also apply them to real world situations through breakouts and activities. This hands-on approach ensures immediate relevance and practical value.
Sara 15:09
Number four: ongoing support. After the course, we provide ongoing support to ensure that the knowledge gained is implemented effectively. This may include fractional support, additional consulting days, follow up sessions, and resources to reinforce learning.
Sara 15:40
Conclusion: a strategic investment with long term benefits. As a CEO, you’re constantly looking for ways to build a more resilient and agile organization. A customized mastering change management course is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal to achieve this. By equipping your leadership team and employees with the right change management skills, you’ll unlock a host of benefits, faster adoption of new initiatives, reduced resistance, and the ability to manage change more effectively, both now and in the future. Investing in tailored change management training is not just about managing the projects of today, it’s about preparing your company for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. A well executed transformation doesn’t just improve your bottom line, it strengthens your organization’s ability to navigate future changes with confidence and success. In an era where change is the only constant, the question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in change management, it’s whether you can afford not to.
Sara 17:23
The case is clear. According to McKinsey, up to 70% of large scale projects fail to meet objectives, often not due to strategy, but because of missed opportunities to align and empower your people. Here are the three key takeaways from today’s episode. Customization is critical. Generic courses often miss the nuances of your unique culture and challenges. Tailored training leverages scenarios from your organization, making every lesson relevant and actionable. Leadership alignment drives results. Lasting change starts at the top. When leaders are aligned and equipped with the right frameworks, they foster change readiness and inspire teams to embrace transformation with confidence. Building change capacity, future proofs your business. Developing in house change management skills, reduces resistance, speeds up adoption, and embeds agility for whatever comes next, meaning fewer dependencies on external consultants and stronger internal resilience. Investing in a customized private mastering change management course isn’t just about today’s projects, it’s about building a culture of adaptability and setting your organization up for sustainable growth. If the topics discussed today are of interest, take action, and set up a discovery call with me to discuss your private customized cohort of Mastering Change Management. The calendly link is available in the show notes. As always, subscribe and never miss an episode.
