Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast where we explore the unseen forces that shape how we lead, adapt, and thrive in the face of change and transformation. In this episode, I sit down with Dr Jonathan Thorp ; a former Navy pilot turned leadership educator—to unpack one of the most vital ingredients of effective teams: psychological safety . From the boardroom to the break room, we explore what makes conversations feel safe, why trust must precede truth-telling, and how safety and ac...
Jun 24, 2025•45 min•Season 8Ep. 89
Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . In our last episode, we explored Leverage Points — how small, well-placed actions can shift entire systems. We talked about where change managers should be scanning for influence — not just solving problems, but shifting the conditions that create them. Today, we pivot to a model that pairs beautifull...
Jun 19, 2025•7 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast where we explore the unseen forces that shape how we lead, adapt, and thrive in the face of change and transformation. Today, I’m joined by Bronwyn Penhaligon — a strategic psychotherapist who helps people and teams get unstuck by tackling the emotional loops and environmental triggers that hold them back. In this conversation, we unpack burnout — how it’s different from stress, why it’s rising, and what both leaders and individuals can do to sto...
Jun 11, 2025•50 min•Season 8Ep. 88
Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . In this episode of Mental Models for Managing Change , we explore Leverage Points — a systems thinking model that helps change leaders identify the small, high-impact interventions that can shift entire systems. Popularised by Donella Meadows, Leverage Points reveal why some efforts lead to deep trans...
Jun 04, 2025•8 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast where we explore the unseen forces that shape how we lead, adapt, and thrive in the face of change and transformation. In this episode, I am joined by the insightful and bold Amy Yackowski —founder of Painted Porch Strategies and a passionate advocate for building shift-ready teams and leaders. Together, we dive into the critical, often overlooked period before change officially begins—a space Amy calls Phase Zero . Long before the project plan k...
May 31, 2025•44 min•Season 8Ep. 87
Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . In this episode, we explore one of the most practical and empowering models in the change toolkit: the Circle of Control, Influence, and Concern . When faced with uncertainty or disruption, where we place our attention can make or break our impact. This timeless mental model helps us distinguish betwe...
May 21, 2025•8 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast where we explore the unseen forces that shape how we lead, adapt, and thrive in the face of change and transformation. In today’s episode, we explore a powerful way of thinking and working that helps people navigate complexity, solve tough problems, and grow through structured learning — the Improvement Kata . My guest is Tracy Defoe — a lifelong adult educator, Kata coach, and passionate advocate for deliberate, reflective learning at work. Base...
May 16, 2025•48 min•Season 8Ep. 86
Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . In this episode of Mental Models for Managing Change , we explore a mental model that helps us cut through complexity and focus our energy where it really counts: The Pareto Principle , also known as the 80/20 Rule. Named after economist Vilfredo Pareto, this model reveals a powerful pattern — that a ...
May 07, 2025•6 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast where we explore the unseen forces that shape how we lead, adapt, and thrive in the face of change and transformation. In this episode, I am joined by someone who’s been on the frontlines of organisational culture in some of the world’s most recognisable companies — Mehmet Baha , author of the newly released book Creating Psychological Safety at Work . Baha is the founder of Solution Folder and has over 24 years of experience working with top org...
May 03, 2025•46 min•Season 8Ep. 85
Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . In this episode of Mental Models for Managing Change , we explore a mental model that helps us pause, reflect, and challenge how we make sense of the world around us: The Ladder of Inference . Developed by organisational psychologist Chris Argyris and later popularised by Peter Senge, this model shows...
Apr 23, 2025•7 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation. In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by Susan Zhang , a creative technologist, author, and global thought leader. From her beginnings in China to her journey as an international student in Australia, Susan has embraced the discomfort of change to unlock personal and professional growth. We dive deep into topics like the power of stepping outside yo...
Apr 19, 2025•56 min•Season 8Ep. 84
Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . In this episode, we explore a mental model that invites us to look beyond the immediate impact of change: Second-Order Thinking . So often, change initiatives are shaped around what we expect to happen next. But in reality, change rarely follows a straight line — and first-order decisions often lead t...
Apr 09, 2025•8 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation. Today, I am chatting with Ian Heard Director of Public Sector Modern Work at Microsoft ANZ — a leader who is right at the heart of how AI is reshaping the way we work. In this episode, we talk about the real story behind GenAI Copilot, what change looks like inside Microsoft, and why the role of a change manager might just be turning into a “ Chief Exciteme...
Apr 05, 2025•58 min•Season 8Ep. 83
Welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . In this episode, we explore a model that helps us look beyond what is visible in times of change: the Iceberg Model . Often, we respond to what we can see on the surface — missed deadlines, disengaged teams, unexpected resistance. But, as with an iceberg, most of the real forces driving those outcomes...
Mar 26, 2025•8 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation. In this episode, I’m joined by the remarkable Karen Ball , Senior Fellow at Prosci and author of The ADKAR Advantage: Your New Lens for Successful Change . Released in April 2024, Karen’s book offers a fresh and practical take on navigating change by embracing the power of the Prosci ADKAR Model. With over 40 years of experience, Karen has helped countless ...
Mar 22, 2025•46 min•Season 8Ep. 82
Hi everyone, and welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . Before we dive into today’s topic, let’s quickly cover what a mental model actually is. A mental model is simply a way of thinking — a framework that helps us understand the world, make better decisions, and solve problems more effectively. Think of it like a blueprint for how to appr...
Mar 13, 2025•10 min
Hi everyone, and welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . Before we dive into today’s topic, let’s quickly cover what a mental model actually is. A mental model is simply a way of thinking — a framework that helps us understand the world, make better decisions, and solve problems more effectively. Think of it like a blueprint for how to appr...
Mar 05, 2025•9 min
Welcome to the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation. In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by Mark Abraham, Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and author of the bestselling HBR book, Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI . With over 20 years of experience, Mark has worked closely with global CEOs, CMOs, and CXOs, helping them tackle complex business challenges and deliver breakthrough 1:1 customer exp...
Feb 26, 2025•48 min•Season 8Ep. 81
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation. In today's episode, I am joined by Lisa Carlin , a strategy execution expert, to dive into one of the biggest conversations in business today; AI strategy and adoption. With the AI hype everywhere, how can organizations separate signals from the noise and make smart strategic decisions? Lisa brings her deep expertise to help us cut through the noise, focus ...
Feb 19, 2025•46 min•Season 8Ep. 80
Hi everyone, and welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . Let’s start with a quick definition. A mental model is a framework or way of thinking that helps us understand the world, make decisions, and solve problems more effectively. It’s like a blueprint for how to approach challenges and navigate complexity. Now, here’s a simple analogy: Im...
Feb 05, 2025•8 min
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation. Today, I welcome the inspiring Margo Waldorf , founder of the Global Change Awards and a true change leader on a mission in the field of workplace transformation. As the CEO of the Global Change Awards and Director at Change Ready Workplace, Margo is a passionate advocate for making change a skill that everyone can master. Her work is reshaping the way orga...
Jan 29, 2025•43 min•Season 7Ep. 79
Welcome to The Inner Game of Change , the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation. I am your host, Ali Juma , and today, we have a truly unique and groundbreaking episode. For the first time, we’re shifting perspectives by inviting a generative AI —yes, a chatbot—into the conversation. Together, we will dive into the transformative power of AI, its impact on the workplace, and how leaders, change managers, and consultants can harness its ...
Jan 15, 2025•54 min•Season 7Ep. 78
Hi everyone, and welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: Mental Models for Managing Change . Let’s start with a quick definition. A mental model is a framework or way of thinking that helps us understand the world, make decisions, and solve problems more effectively. It’s like a blueprint for how to approach challenges and navigate complexity. Now, here’s a simple analogy: Im...
Jan 09, 2025•8 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Hi everyone, and welcome to a very special mini-series on The Inner Game of Change . I’m thrilled to take you on this journey as we explore something both timeless and practical: mental models for managing change. Let’s start with a quick definition. A mental model is a framework or way of thinking that helps us understand the world, make decisions, and solve problems more effectively. It’s like a blueprint for how to approach challenges and navigate complexity. Now, here’s a simple analogy: Ima...
Jan 08, 2025•8 min•Season 1Ep. 1
In this special highlights episode of The Inner Game of Change podcast , we revisit some of the most impactful moments from our top episodes. While every conversation this year has been rich with invaluable insights, these highlights showcase standout lessons and perspectives that have resonated deeply with our audience. Join me as we explore key themes in leadership, change, and transformation. I am grateful for all of my guests' time, insight and wisdom. As we wrap up 2024, I want to thank you...
Dec 26, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Season 7Ep. 77
Hello, and welcome to this special episode of The Inner Game of Change . Today’s episode is deeply meaningful, as it features a conversation with the remarkable Carol Sanford. Carol has been a pioneer of Regenerative Thinking for over four decades, helping entrepreneurs and executives transform their businesses responsibly and meaningfully. Her work has left an indelible mark on so many lives and organisations. It is with a heavy heart that I share that Carol is now in transition out of this wor...
Nov 27, 2024•31 min•Season 7Ep. 76
Welcome to the Inner Game of Change Podcast , uncovering the layers of complexity of organisational change with some of the bright minds in the field. Today, I am delighted to host Dr. Jess Tayel , a top LinkedIn voice and a distinguished leader in global change and transformation. Dr. Tayel has over 25 years of experience in leading global change and transformation programs in senior leadership roles, guiding and leading large-scale change programs across 15 countries. She has worked with compa...
Oct 30, 2024•50 min•Season 7Ep. 75
Welcome to the Inner Game of Change Podcast , uncovering the layers of complexity of organisational change with some of the bright minds in the field. Today, I am joined by Kavita Ganesan ; an AI advisor, strategist, and founder of Opinosis Analytics. Kavita has led numerous AI projects, from recommendation engines to advanced sentiment analysis systems, impacting millions of users and shaping strategic AI initiatives for major organizations like McKesson, Verizon, and the University of Sydney. ...
Oct 16, 2024•45 min•Season 7Ep. 74
Welcome to a special episode ; The Outer Game of Change . In these unique episodes, I am joined by leaders and executives who drive change and shape the future of their organizations. We listen to their unique insights, explore how they perceive change, and uncover what is simmering in their minds. Today, I am thrilled to have with me Professor Theo Farrell, the 7th Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University here in Australia. Professor Farrell has a distinguished career in academia an...
Oct 02, 2024•42 min•Season 7Ep. 73
Welcome to the Inner Game of Change Podcast , uncovering the layers of complexity of organisational change with some of the bright minds in the field. I’m thrilled to be joined by Maggie Jackson , an award-winning journalist and author, celebrated for her insightful exploration of uncertainty, the impact of technology on our lives, and the science of attention. Her latest book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure , uncovers how uncertainty is often misunderstood but can actually pro...
Sep 18, 2024•50 min•Season 7Ep. 72
