168. Rethinking Change: Leadership, Trust & the Reality of Constant Transformation with Doug Wolfson and Janine Ellison

Rethinking Change: Leadership, Trust & the Reality of Constant Transformation

Rethink Change Conference 2026

More about The Rethink Change Founders Doug Wolfson and Janine Ellison

In this episode of Ways to Change Your Workplace, Prina Shah is joined by Doug Wolfson and Janine Ellison, founders of Rethink Change - a conference and community built to bring change practitioners together.

What started as a post-lockdown idea over a glass of wine has grown into a thriving ecosystem of learning, connection, and real-world change insights.

This conversation dives deep into why change feels heavier than ever, the emotional realities behind it, and what organisations consistently get wrong -especially after go-live.

From leadership alignment to human-centred design, from psychological safety to the relentless pace of transformation, this episode is a must-listen for anyone working in or leading change.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The origin story of Rethink Change and why community matters more than ever
• How COVID reshaped change - and why hybrid is here to stay
• The evolving themes in change:
  → Psychological safety
  → Psychosocial risk
  → AI
  → The relentless volume of change
• Why change is an emotional trigger, not just a business process
• The real reason people resist change (hint: it’s fear and uncertainty)
• Why change managers must be involved early - not as a tick-box
• The tension (and partnership) between project managers vs change managers
• Why go-live is NOT the finish line
• The hidden failure: poor expectation management, not failed change
• The importance of leader-led change and authentic belief
• Human-centred design and why most organisations still get it wrong
• The impact of poorly managed change on trust and future initiatives

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Prina (Helping you find GREAT ways to change your workplace) Shah