Getting Change Right

My approach to successful change is built on a single premise: engagement is the foundation of real transformation.

Successful change doesn’t happen because of top-down plans or carefully engineered messaging. It happens because people get involved in meaningful ways. In my experience, the leaders who make the biggest impact don’t push change from above. They generate movement by engaging others deeply, creating shared ownership, and igniting energy across the system.

This is not about controlling outcomes. It’s about creating the conditions for transformation. Change is social. It happens through relationships, conversations, shared breakthroughs, and emotional commitment. That’s why I focus on engagement. When people see themselves in the work, when they feel heard and valued, they move from compliance to contribution and that’s where real progress begins.

Examples of Large-Scale Change Leadership from My Client Portfolio:

  1. Thriving Earth Exchange, powered by the American Geophysical Union
  2. SmartFields, Royal Dutch Shell
  3. Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation, American Nurses Association Enterprise
  4. Center for Financial Planning, CFP Board
  5. Stop Stigma Together, Huntsman Mental Health Institute
    featuring a 7-year PSA campaign by the Ad Council, Love Your Mind
  6. Summit on Breakthroughs in Physics in Medicine - coming January 2026, American Association of Physicists in Medicine
  7. Ultrasound Proficiency Grand Challenge, Inteleos

Best Seller!

Getting-Change-Right

Getting Change Right

How Leaders Transform Organizations from the Inside Out

Washington Post and Denver Post best-seller

BUY THIS BOOK
MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK

An exciting read brimming with cutting-edge ideas and new views on leadership communication, Getting Change Right asserts that change doesn’t flow top-down, bottom-up, or sideways, but inside-out. Based on years of experience with organizations around the world, change expert Kahan presents a new model of communication, one that moves from a transactional view of information exchange to a collaborative construction of shared understanding.

In every major change effort I’ve led or advised, I return to seven essential lessons that consistently drive meaningful and lasting results:

Whether you’re leading a reorg, launching a new initiative, or transforming culture, these principles drive forward momentum:

1. Communicate So People Understand and Share It
People don’t follow bullet points—they follow meaning. I help leaders craft messages that spark curiosity, emotion, and organic conversation throughout the organization.

2. Energize the Right People to Drive Innovation
You don’t need everyone—just the right ones. I help identify and mobilize trusted influencers who will champion the change and bring others along.

3. Understand the Terrain Before You Act
Every organization has its hidden networks, histories, and cultural dynamics. I guide leaders in listening deeply and mapping the landscape so they can navigate change wisely.

4. Build Communities That Adapt and Perform
Adapting to change is a team sport. I help create high-trust groups that blend learning with accountability to drive measurable progress and cultural shift.

5. Deliver Visible Wins That Build Momentum
I work with leaders to identify bold, high-leverage moves that generate fast, tangible results. These early wins prove the change is real—and working.

6. Break Through Resistance
Every transformation encounters friction. I help surface and resolve the emotional, structural, and cultural barriers that slow change down—so your momentum keeps building.

7. Sustain Energy with WorkLifeSuccess
Burnout isn’t a strategy. I help organizations create cultures where people align purpose, rhythm, and well-being with performance—so they don’t just survive the change, they thrive through it.

These seven lessons invite leaders to engage, listen, adapt, and move with the people they serve. When you lead this way, you don’t just implement change, you generate it from within. The result is a transformation that’s not only effective, but energizing, resilient, and lasting.

If you would like to discuss your circumstances confidentially, reach out to me at Seth@VisionaryLeadership.com.
I don't require a contract to have a conversation.

Start typing and press enter to search

Scroll to Top