Michael Timms is a leadership consultant, TEDx speaker, and author of “How Leaders Can Inspire Accountability”. Through his work at Avail Leadership, Michael has helped thousands of senior leaders enhance team performance at organizations like Microsoft to RBC. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, CNBC, and more. Michael joins host Chris Thornton in this episode of Change@Work to unpack why most leaders get accountability wrong and how blame kills performance. They brea...
Jun 18, 2025•23 min•Ep. 41
In today’s fast-moving business environment, leaders are facing a communication crisis—too many acronyms, too much noise, and too little clarity. In this episode, Chris Thornton sits down with Ben Feller , former White House correspondent and partner at maslansky + partners , to talk about the power of language in driving change. Ben shares lessons from his time covering two U.S. presidents, coaching executives, and even parenting—revealing why it’s not what you say, but what they hear that trul...
May 07, 2025•27 min•Ep. 40
Tiana Ritchell is a Principal at Daggerwing Group and expert at operationalizing ESG & sustainability strategies. She has worked with General Mills and other partners to achieve their ambitious goals. In this episode of Change@Work, Tiana and host Chris Thornton explore the significant challenges organizations are facing when it comes to making their sustainability and ESG goals a reality. How does an organization prioritize their efforts? How can you ensure that leaders are bought into the ...
Oct 02, 2024•22 min•Ep. 39
Dr Brian von Herzen, Founder and Executive Director of the Climate Foundation – a nonprofit organization dedicated to regenerating ocean ecosystems through marine permaculture technology — joins this episode of Change@Work. He and host, Chris Thornton, discuss how his work addresses gaps in food security caused by climate disruption, how his background as a Systems Engineer inspired him to tackle one of humanity’s most pressing challenges, and what gives him hope today for the future of our ocea...
Jun 10, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Dr. Mary Barnes is the Founder and CEO of Evolve Your Performance, a consultancy that aims to empower executives to deliver transformational change and maximize employee potential. With a doctorate in human and organizational learning and over two decades of experience, Mary developed the Transformation Reset Audit as a tool for clients navigating change implementation. In this episode of Change@Work, she and host Chris Thornton explore 14 common pitfalls that derail change initiatives, strategi...
May 02, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Sara Polon, Co-Founder and CEO of Soupergirl -- a natural, plant-based, kosher, and sustainably sourced soup company -- joins this episode of Change@Work. The comedian-turned-food entrepreneur and host, Chris Thornton discuss Sara's journey to soup-making, the challenges and joys of being a small business owner in the food and beverage industry, and the role consumers play in creating a more sustainable and equitable future when buying packaged foods....
Mar 20, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Susan Odle is the Founder & CEO of 8020CS — a strategic consultancy that helps leaders and leadership teams learn how to successfully operationalize strategic plans and change initiatives. She is also the author of a new book, Successful Change: A Field Guide to Operationalizing Change that Drives Growth, Profitability, and Operational Efficiency . In this episode of Change@Work, she and host Chris Thornton, discuss her career journey through the tech and private equity industries, how GenAI...
Jan 30, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld and Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition for Education, joins us on this episode of Change@Work . He and host, Chris Thornton, discuss the important role businesses play in the education system, how investing in education can help companies to achieve their ESG goals, and outlines key examples of how some of the world's largest organizations are investing in education now.
Jan 08, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Dr Tanvi Gautam, MD, Founder of Leadershift Inc., Global HR influencer, Program director & faculty at Singapore Management University (ExD) and author joins us for this episode of Change@Work . She and host, Chris Thornton, discuss the framework for her new book, Deep Collaboration: 5 crucial conversations to accelerate performance across silos (2024), where the field of human-centric change is headed, and the need to embrace the uncomfortable to fuel our own growth....
Nov 29, 2023•37 min
Natalie Webb, founder and Executive Director of Cafecita Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster that sources all beans from sustainable, women-owned coffee farms and co-ops, joins us for this episode of Change@Work. She and host, Chris Thornton, delve into how Natalie’s unique experience as a human rights lawyer drove her to create a business that prioritizes sustainable practices and empowers gender equality for female coffee producers.
Oct 19, 2023•27 min
Eric McNulty, Associate Director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, an instructor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and co-author of the book, You're It: Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When it Matters Most joins us for this episode of Change@Work. He and host, Chris Thornton, discuss what we can learn about human behavior, change, and resilience through his research and analysis of national crises including the Boston Marathon bombings, Hurrica...
Sep 14, 2023•31 min
Molly Fogarty, Head of Corporate & Government Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Zone North America, joins host, Chris Thornton, for this episode of Change@Work. In this episode, the two have a candid conversation about Molly's own journey to success and sustainability, navigating through the external perception of Nestlé's sustainability efforts and how to get buy-in from all levels of the organization to drive sustainability goals.
Aug 08, 2023•32 min
Daniel Oppong, founder of The Courage Collective, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultancy, joins us again on this episode of Change@Work. He and host, Chris Thornton, discuss the evolution of DE&I initiatives as of late, how they’ve been met with less momentum, and shares why it’s imperative that organizations embed DE&I into their company culture.
May 23, 2023•29 min
Brian Crimmins, CEO of Changing Our World, a trusted social impact consulting firm that advises leading corporations and nonprofit organizations, joins us for this episode of Chang@Work. He and host Chris Thornton discuss Brian's new book, The Generosity Crisis , which explores the current state of philanthropy and how we can change course to bring about a different, more connected future that benefits us all. For more information, visit his website here ....
Mar 30, 2023•31 min
Celeste Leverton, Associate Director, Sustainability Manager at Coutts, a 331-year-old private bank in the UK, joins us for this episode on Change@Work. Listen as she and host, Chris Thornton, discuss what the B Corp certification process entails, the benefits of becoming certified, and how to get employees and leaders on board with becoming a more sustainable organization.
Feb 01, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Paul Thallner, Principal at Daggerwing Group and author of Reinventing Resilience , joins this episode of Change@Work. Listen as he and host Chris Thornton, discuss why Paul wrote his new book and why organizations must evolve and grow so workers aren't forced to continually bounce back. Paul shares how to use his model to reinvent resilience and create great work cultures that attract and retain the best talent. For more information, visit Paul's website here: https://www.reinventingresilience....
Oct 31, 2022•13 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Emily Graham, Chief Equity and Impact Officer at Omnicom Group, joins this episode of Change@Work. Listen as she and host Chris Thornton discuss Omnicom’s renewed approach to DE&I as a result of 2020, the need for leaders to own and drive inclusive and equitable cultures, and the many ways in which people, at all levels, can contribute to the unique tapestry of each organization.
Sep 19, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 25
David Tate, Professor at Yale University School of Management and CEO of Conscious Growth Partners – a leadership coaching and executive development consultancy – joins this episode of Change@Work. Listen as he and host Chris Thornton discuss his upcoming book, Conscious Accountability, how leaders can deepen relationships with their teams, and the 7 practices to help build accountability within work cultures.
Aug 26, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Sandy Skees, Global Purpose & Impact Practice Lead at Porter Novelli, joins this episode of Change@Work. Tune in as Sandy and host Chris Thornton discuss the impactful rise of ESG on Wall Street in recent years, consumer expectations when it comes to ESG performance, and why defining purpose is critical to an organization’s success.
Aug 09, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Michael Maslansky, CEO of language strategy firm maslansky + partners, joins this episode of Change@Work. Tune in as he and host Chris Thornton discuss two strategic language frameworks that organizations can use to effectively communicate ideas, build trust with employees, and foster an environment of transparency and inclusion.
Jul 06, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Johannes Wassenberg, Managing Director at Moody’s Corporation, joins this episode of Change@Work to discuss ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance). Listen as he and host Chris discuss how ESG has come to the forefront in recent years, the different stakeholders driving this change, and what it all means for the future of businesses around the world.
May 31, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Luisa Schumacher, Design Thinking Catalyst Lead at Ford Motor Company, joins this episode of Change@Work. Listen as she and host Chris Thornton discuss incorporating human-centered design into everyday work, inviting abstraction into our work-style, and Luisa's three key design thinking tools.
Apr 20, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Ranjay Gulati—a Harvard Business School professor, organization and leadership expert, and best-selling author—joins this episode of CHANGE@WORK. Tune in as he and host Chris Thorn discuss his new book, Deep Purpose , and how to go beyond a surface-level purpose statement to actually activate performance.
Mar 02, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Sarah Flynn, Chief Marketing Officer at Thirty Five Ventures—Kevin Durant’s multi-faceted media, marketing, and investment company—joins this episode of CHANGE@WORK to discuss the synergies between the sports world and business world. Listen as she and host Chris Thornton discuss how organizations can learn from sports teams when it comes to team dynamics, creating purpose-driven brands and working without silos.
Feb 07, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Stephen Satterfield, a writer, producer, media entrepreneur, and host of High on the Hog—a Netflix documentary-series that traces the origins of African-American cuisine—joins this episode of CHANGE@WORK to talk about leading an industry through change. Listen as he and host Chris Thornton discuss the importance of storytelling, the role it plays in creating transformation, and how it lends a voice to those who are often overlooked.
Jan 10, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Evan Sohn, CEO of Recruiter.com , joins this episode of CHANGE@WORK to discuss the recent trends he is seeing in the world of recruiting and talent retention. Listen as he and host Chris Thornton offer insights into how organizations can retain their people, and most importantly, offer new ways to keep them engaged.
Nov 01, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Daniel Oppong, founder of The Courage Collective, sits down with host Chris Thornton on this episode of Change@Work to discuss why engaging people, and encouraging them to bring their whole selves to work, is the key to business transformation success. They explore what DE&I means at the systemic and personal level, and how embedding DE&I throughout the entire employee lifecycle will help leaders achieve true equity for all employees.
Aug 23, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Management consultant, executive coach, and frequent contributor to HBR and Forbes, Liz Kislik joins host Chris Thornton on this episode of CHANGE@WORK to discuss how, in the wake of the pandemic, organizations need to determine the best strategy moving forward for their people and business. They dive into the needs of different employee groups, how to retain top talent, the importance of empathetic leadership, and the commitment that needs to be made to rebuilding culture in the new world of wo...
Aug 23, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 14
OPRG's Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Soon Mee Kim joins CHANGE@WORK -- a podcast from Daggerwing Group. In this episode, host Chris Thornton talks with Soon Mee Kim, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at Omnicom Public Relations Group, to understand how 2021 will be a year of action for organizations' DE&I initiatives. They discuss the fear that often prevents change in the workplace and how that can be replaced with an attitude of progress over perfection. ...
Apr 01, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Chartered Organizational Psychologist and Principal at Daggerwing Group, Maria Dodd is back on CHANGE@WORK for more of our miniseries on the psychology of change. In this episode, Maria and Chris dive into the different cognitive biases, why they matter, and how they drive behavior. They discuss where these biases show up in the workplace and the challenges that result when trying to address them. Through their conversation, listeners will learn how to leverage biases to make more effective deci...
Mar 02, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 12
