059: Overcoming Change Fatigue in the Workplace with Jenny Magic

Evolve: A New Era of Leadership

In this episode, we delve into the prevalent issue of change fatigue within the corporate landscape, a phenomenon amplified by constant shifts and adaptations in today's work environment.

Jenny Magic joins me to unravel the complexities behind change fatigue and its significant impact on employees and organizational dynamics. She offers a deep dive into how leaders can recognize, address, and navigate this growing concern to foster a more adaptive and resilient workplace culture.

Jenny Magic has spent the past two decades as a communications strategist, serving a wide range of clients – from Sesame Street to AARP, Prudential to Purdue, and a whole slew of tech companies. She's now focused on helping teams combat burnout and eliminate "Unworkable Work." She’s co-author of CHANGE FATIGUE: Flip Teams From Burnout to Buy-In, and she lives in Austin with her architect husband and two young sons.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• The Reality of Change Fatigue: Unpack the concept of 'change tokens' and understand how the pandemic and technological advancements have escalated the demand for adaptability in the workplace. 🔄

• Signs of Change Fatigue: Learn how to identify the subtle and overt signs of change fatigue among employees, from silence and resistance to the more insidious forms like stalling and deprioritizing. 🚩

• Strategic Leadership and Change Management: Explore strategies for leaders to manage their own and their team's capacity for change, ensuring that change initiatives are thoughtful, well-prioritized, and genuinely necessary. 🛠️

• Overcoming Overwhelm: Discuss the balance between operational efficiency and innovative capacity, and how to create space within organizations for necessary changes without overwhelming employees. ⚖️

• Authentic Engagement and Support: Delve into the importance of genuine leadership involvement in change initiatives and the role of psychological safety in facilitating open dialogue and feedback. 👥

• Prioritizing and Stacking Successes: Discover the benefits of prioritizing change initiatives to enhance effectiveness and reduce burnout, using strategic selection to build momentum and achieve better outcomes. 🏆

We talk about:

• 2:55 What is change fatigue and why is it important that leaders understand the reality of it

• 5:21 Signs of change fatigue

• 6:45 What is our capacity or limit for change

• 9:11 How Jenny helps leaders

• 10:22 Overview of the steps of change outlined in her book

• 12:41 What people can do to make sure they're solving the right problem

• 18:21 What can sponsors be asking

• 21:17 What happens if we don't do this

• 23:55 Where does a change office or transformation office sit in this plan

• 26:29 Journey mapping

• 29:42 How stakeholder and journey maps help with communication

• 34:17 Team dynamics in change

• 39:40 The impact of COVID and change depending on privilege of workers

• 43:57 Unworkable work

• 47:57 Her templates

• 48:57 Rapid fire questions

🌈 Closing Thoughts:

By acknowledging and addressing the challenges of change fatigue, leaders and employees can work together towards a more engaged, efficient, and adaptable work environment. We encourage listeners to reflect on their own experiences with change fatigue and consider the strategies discussed in this episode to enhance resilience and drive meaningful change in their organizations. Share your thoughts, experiences, or questions, and join us in embracing adaptive challenges as opportunities for growth and innovation.

#ChangeFatigue #AdaptiveLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #StrategicChange #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment

Connect with Jenny

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HintofMagic

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennymagic

• Twitter: www.twitter.com/JennyLMagic

• Book and Course: www.ChangeFatigue.com

• Consulting: www.BuildBetterChange.com

• Apply for a feedback session to share your take on “Unworkable Work here: www.BuildBetterChange.com

Connect with me

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolynswora/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/

• Twitter: ​​https://twitter.com/CarolynSwora

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolynsworkplaceculture/

• Website: https://www.carolynswora.com/

• Contact: [e-mail]