A recent breakfast in the MartinJenkins “Change” series brought together a group of organisational-change influencers to explore how we tell our change stories. In this article, Jessica Glen shares reflections and practical insights from the kōrero, including why making space for discussions like this matters.
“The way we talk about our work is just as important as the work itself.” That thought was the starting point for a recent breakfast session hosted by two of my MartinJenkins hoamahi, Paul Giles and Healy Jones, in our Te Whanganui-a-Tara office.
Many in the room recognised and connected with that theme. But the discussions at the session were also a reminder that while most organisations aren’t short on plans, they’re often short on a shared story about what those plans mean in practice for the people and the work they affect.
Narrative is the bit that often gets lost
Leadership teams are often clear on what needs to be done, with strong delivery discipline and capable people driving the work forward. But what is less consistent is how the change is understood and talked about across that group.
Each leader can have a slightly different view of what’s happening and why. That shows up in everyday conversations, team meetings, and small signals that people pick up on over time. The work continues to move, but not always in the same direction.
The breakfast kōrero reminded us all that the momentum for creating positive change builds quickly when leadership teams take the time to develop the change story together. This shouldn’t be a prescribed script for leaders to follow, but rather a shared set of core ideas that each leader can express in their own voice, and in a way that’s meaningful for their teams.
.jpg)
What, so what, and now what
As we’ve seen before with the MartinJenkins breakfast series, attendees were generous and honest in sharing their own experiences, including the harder parts of leading change.
As one person put it, leaders need to be constantly communicating the “what, so what, and now what”. In other words, people are often looking for clarity on three things: what’s happening, what it means for them, and what they need to do next.
The breakfast session generated some practical ideas for how to do this successfully.
Don’t BS people: Be open and honest about uncertainty
Acknowledge what you don’t know. Leaders don’t have all the answers, and people notice when leaders try to duck a question or fudge a response with an answer that feels over‑rehearsed.
So be clear about what you do know and where you can provide clarity, and be clear too about what you can control and what you can’t. That honesty builds trust and helps people stay engaged.
Keep it human – it’s the least we can do
The need for authenticity came through strongly, and people thought that a big part of this is using the right communication mechanisms for the message.
Think carefully about whether broadcast comms by email or on Teams are truly hitting the mark. It’s usually much better to get on the road and connect with people face to face.
Equip the people who carry the story
People managers, senior advisers, and informal leaders are often asked to lead change. This requires translating the change into daily conversations with their teams. But they’re not always set up to do this well.
These leaders need to be empowered to relate the change story in their own way. They know their people best and how to connect with them, but they need to fully understand the “why” and feel confident speaking about the change. They’ll need a chance to test how they talk about it, and they’ll need support in listening and responding to their teams.
Make space to talk about competing demands and trade-offs
Many people are working to multiple priorities during periods of change. The message they hear often is “This and this and this and this”. However, they’re not always given the space to work through the competing and conflicting priorities. Making time for people to talk through what they might be able to pause or slow down helps people focus on what matters most.
One idea we heard was for leaders to invite people to a session where they could write questions on Post-It notes and have leadership respond to these in the moment without any preparation. This provides your people with a safe space to ask anything they want, and it also signals authenticity and transparency on the part of the leaders.
Focus on the opportunity rather than the problem
Change is often framed in terms of what’s not working and needs to be fixed, rather than positive outcomes and benefits to work towards. That focus on what’s broken can reinforce uncertainty, which can in turn materialise as resistance.
Several people at our breakfast session spoke about shifting the framing. What does this change make possible for people? What might be better as a result? Talking about the opportunities and potential benefits, alongside the reality of change, creates a more balanced and motivating narrative.
This isn’t about being Pollyannaish. It’s about leading people through change in a way that acknowledges reality but that also relies on the power of positive psychology to support teams, including those whose roles are directly impacted.
One idea kept coming through …
Across the morning session, the talk tended to come back to a single central theme, that without a well-told change story even well-designed programmes can struggle to land. When people can see themselves in a change story, however, and understand what it means for them, the change journey is more likely to end in the right place.
We will continue these breakfast kōrero over the coming months. They’re a chance to step out of the day-to-day, hear how others are approaching similar challenges, and reflect together on what works. If you’re also grappling with what works, we would love to have you join a future session.
