Explore every episode of the podcast Next Level Change Success

Are you investing your change energy where it will make the biggest difference?

When you're implementing change across multiple teams or business areas, it's tempting to take a consistent approach: the same communications, the same engagement and the same level of support for everyone.

But change isn't one size fits all.

Every team starts from a different place. Some have highly engaged leaders and are already relatively close to the future state. Others may be heavily impacted, require significant capability development or have historically struggled to gain traction with change.

In this short and practical episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores how to become more deliberate about where you invest your limited time, attention and change resources.

You'll discover how to identify the teams with the greatest distance to travel, use your impact assessment to target your strategy, determine where leaders and sponsors may need to invest additional effort, and layer training, communications, coaching and engagement according to what people actually need.

Because effective change management isn't about giving everyone the same support.

It's about giving people the right support to achieve the outcome.

Listen now and ask yourself: where should I be investing more my change energy where it will count the most?

If you want to learn more about change, visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com today.

What do more than 20 years of working in change management teach you about what really makes change work?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese shares three of the biggest lessons she has learned across a career spanning change management, project and program management, change practice leadership and learning and development.

And interestingly, none of them starts with a methodology.

You'll discover why knowing yourself can make you a stronger change influencer and leader, how difficult stakeholders can become unexpected mirrors for your own growth, and why self-awareness helps you stop personalising people's emotional reactions to change.

Therese also explores why leadership alignment remains fundamental to successful organisational change and why simply "briefing" leaders isn't enough. Leaders need meaningful actions, opportunities to provide input and the information they need to confidently lead their teams.

Finally, she explores one of the greatest opportunities created by change: unlocking the potential already sitting inside your organisation.

If you're a change practitioner, project professional, subject matter expert or leader who wants to become more effective at influencing and leading change, this episode will encourage you to reflect not only on what you've delivered but on who you've become while delivering it.

Want to learn more? Come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to find out more.

Change is rarely linear, so why do we keep trying to manage it as though it is?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores the four stages of the My Virtual Change Manager change process: Planning, Assess & Design, Implement & Reinforce, and Review & Learn.

You’ll discover how these stages can work alongside both traditional project methodologies and Agile ways of working, why detailed impact assessment matters, and how the quality of your upstream change activities can dramatically influence what happens at go-live.

Therese also explores an important distinction every change practitioner needs to understand: change practitioners facilitate reinforcement, but leaders remain accountable for reinforcing change with their teams.

You’ll learn why go-live is not the finish line, how change dashboards and adoption measures can support reinforcement, why change practitioners should frame concerns as risks rather than simply problems. And one of the often not talked about phases is how a strong Review & Learn process can increase organisational change maturity over time.

Whether you’re a change practitioner, project manager, business analyst, subject matter expert or leader responsible for implementing change, this episode will help you think differently about where you are in the change journey and what needs to happen next.

Because change management isn’t about blindly following a process. It’s about knowing where to focus so you can connect people, purpose and performance.

Want to discover more about change management? Then come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to upskill in change management. 

Have you ever experienced Cognitive Overload first hand? Where change has been explained but you simply don't understand it, or it doesn't make sense?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores cognitive overload and the hidden role it can play in slowing change adoption.

When employees are presented with too many concepts, unfamiliar terminology, information-heavy presentations and new processes that aren't clearly connected to how they work today, they're forced to spend valuable mental energy simply trying to join the dots. And what eventually gets labelled as “resistance” may have started with genuine confusion.

Therese shares practical ways to reduce cognitive overload, including simplifying your message, using visuals instead of word-heavy slides, breaking information into bite-sized pieces, using stories and scenarios, providing social proof and speaking the language your people actually use.

If you're a change practitioner, project professional, leader or someone responsible for introducing new ways of working, this episode will challenge you to ask a powerful question:

Are people struggling with the change or are they struggling to understand how you've explained it?

Because better change communication isn't necessarily about communicating more. It's about making the change easier to understand.

If you want to find out more about how you can lead, implement or manage change more effectively, come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

Going live isn't the end of your change journey. In many ways, it's where the real change begins.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores the embedding phase of change, which is where the rubber really hits the road and why the commitment to embedding and adoptions starts well before the Go Live milestone.

You'll discover why leadership accountability needs to be established well before go-live, how a simple adoption dashboard can change the quality of your post-implementation conversations, and how creating the space for all of these aspects can make a difference.

Therese also explores one of the biggest tensions in project delivery: what happens when the project timeline says you're finished, but the change hasn't yet stuck?

If you're a project manager, change practitioner, business analyst, leader or corporate professional responsible for introducing new systems, processes, policies or ways of working, this episode will help you rethink what successful implementation really means.

Because getting something live is one thing. Getting people to adopt it is another.

Want to learn more about Change Management? Visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to discover a new way to approach change.

Many people think change management is all about communication and stakeholder engagement, but that's only part of the story. 

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores why analytical thinking is one of the most valuable yet overlooked capabilities for successful change practitioners. Learn how to conduct smarter impact assessments, segment stakeholders more effectively, understand customer and employee lifecycles, identify business-critical impacts, and measure behavioural change using meaningful data.

Whether you're a Change Manager, Project Manager, Business Analyst, HR professional or leader driving transformation, this practical episode will help you strengthen your analytical mindset and design change initiatives that achieve better adoption and measurable business outcomes.

Want to learn more Change Management know how? Come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com now and get skills in the one area of business where it matters - CHANGE!

Influencing change isn't about having the biggest job title or 'telling' people about the change and trying to tell them to change, it's about creating the right conditions for people to take ownership, and lead the change formally and informally in their own areas.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores the four powerful sources of influence that determine whether your change initiative gains momentum or stalls. From engaging leaders and leveraging informal social networks to building trust through consistent experiences and creating positive interactions. You'll discover practical techniques that every change practitioner, project professional and leader can apply immediately.

If you've ever struggled to gain buy-in, increase stakeholder engagement or influence people outside your reporting line, this episode will change the way you think about leadership forever.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why influence is more powerful than authority
• The four levels of organisational influence
• How trust accelerates change adoption
• Why ownership beats compliance every time
• Practical ways to create lasting behavioural change

Because successful change isn't something you do to people, it's something you create with them. Want to learn how to introduce sustainable change in your organisation, without authority? Come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com and learn how.

How healthy is your change initiative? 

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores why every change needs a Health Check no matter whether it is a change as part of a business run initiative or a project. Discover six practical areas to assess, including stakeholder confidence, communication clarity, engagement, Change flow and leadership support, so you can identify risks before they impact adoption.

Whether you're leading or implementing a new policy or driving organisational transformation, this episode provides practical questions that can significantly improve your probability of change success.

If you're serious about creating positive change experiences, this episode is a must listen.

Want to conduct a Health check on your change? Click here.

Have you factored in the power dynamics in your organisation into your stakeholder analysis and engagement plan?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, You'll discover why stakeholder mapping should extend beyond reporting lines, how exceptional change sponsors navigate executive relationships, and why resistance isn't always about your project. If you've ever wondered why technically sound projects still struggle to gain momentum, this episode offers practical insights to help you better navigate leadership dynamics, strengthen sponsorship, and create lasting change.

If you're leading projects, supporting transformation, or building your change management capability, this episode is full of practical strategies you can apply immediately.

Want to learn a change framework that aligns with Projects and discover your style of change? Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to find out more.

Is being passionate about people enough to become an exceptional change manager, change maker or change leader? 

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores a different perspective on what truly drives successful change. She explains why people who are effective in achieving positive change outcomes aren't simply passionate about people. One of the areas these people excel in is being able to create a 'win/win' situation as often as possible.

If you are introducing change, consider how you are lining up your passions and a sense of purpose to how you approach and deliver change. Are you unlocking some of your potential as well as that of others?

If you're a project professional, leader, business analyst, subject matter expert or anyone responsible for influencing change, this episode will challenge the way you think about purpose, leadership and lasting transformation.

Want to learn more about change management in projects? Come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

Change Management is a profession that can seem to be hard to get into. Demand for Change Managers can rise and fall, and with AI being introduced into the recruitment cycle, it can be even harder to catch a break. In this Episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese covers some strategies and insights into ways you can leverage your existing organisation and teams to get your break into change. Want to find a change course that is practical and will assist you in getting that break into change? Check out the Change in Projects course at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

What is the minimum you need to do to successfully manage change on a project? 

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese introduces the Critical Change Path. The practical approach that helps project managers, business analysts and change practitioners focus on the activities that truly influence adoption. The minimum value position (MVP) as such.

You'll learn why more documentation doesn't necessarily lead to better outcomes, the three essential change management activities every project should include, and how simplifying your approach can increase confidence, improve stakeholder engagement and deliver stronger business results.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by change templates or struggled to know where to focus your effort, this episode will help you cut through the noise and concentrate on what matters most.

Want to learn the 'all in' change management in projects model with the critical path being highlighted and focused on, then visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com and sign up for the priority list for the Change in Projects upcoming training.

What if change management wasn’t about frameworks… but about building bridges?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores one of the most powerful ways to understand change: the Bridge Builder analogy.

Whether you’re a change practitioner, project professional, leader, business analyst, HR partner, communications specialist or someone influencing change across teams, this episode will shift how you think about adoption.

You’ll learn key bridge building skills:

• How to ensure that you build a structurally sound foundation over the productivity gap which inevitably is produced with change
• The learning stages that in any change the people experience
• Where the Go Live step should be in a change
• The practical interventions that become the “steps” of successful change

This episode will help you stop pushing change, and start engineering experiences that help people cross with confidence.

Because people matter. And how they experience change matters too.

Want to learn more? Come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to learn about Change in Projects and more.

Or find us on youtube @myvirtualchangemanager

Or join us on Instagram @myvirtualchangemanager or on Facebook at My Virtual Change Manager.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, we cover Choice and the importance of positioning communication and reflection for individuals regarding choice. And it starts with your understanding of choice and your relationship with it.

This episode may challenge your definition of choice and beliefs about it. Perhaps you are a change leader who simply wants to dictate and 'force' the change through. However if you have a transformational change to introduce, even though it is going ahead, regardless of whether others want or agree with it, there is still a way to introduce it and reflect for others to choice they have and will make, consciously or unconsciously.

So if you want to learn about choice, especially in structure change scenarios, then listen to this episode.

Looking for a practical, powerful Change course?

If you are looking for a reasonably priced, practical change course, that blends years of experience with strong consideration for all of the challenges you face when you deliver change in a project environment then jump to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com and sign up for the priority waitlist so you will hear first when the doors are opening to our next LIVE training of Change in Projects.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores why emotional awareness is one of the most challenging aspects of change if you are leading, facilitating or influencing for change. 

We cover:
✓ Why emotional awareness matters more than emotional regulation
✓ How emotions affect decision making during change
✓ What a decompression session is and when to use one
✓ How to stop taking resistance personally
✓ Reflection practices that strengthen your Change Intelligence

If you lead projects, support transformation or influence teams through uncertainty, this episode will challenge you to look beyond frameworks and strengthen the capability that changes everything: yourself.

Come and visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com if you want to understand all of the aspects of change that make a difference.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese shares three realities every leader, project professional and change practitioner needs to prepare for before introducing transformational change.

You’ll learn:
✔ Why emotional responses are a healthy sign of engagement
✔ How to handle challenging questions without becoming defensive
✔ Why expectation gaps happen—and how to reduce them
✔ The leadership mindset that helps people move through uncertainty faster

If you’re implementing change, influencing new ways of working, introducing AI, or leading transformation, this episode will help you become the calm in the storm.

Because change matters. And people matter.

What’s the one thing that drives successful change adoption when time, budget, and resources are limited?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese shares the single most important investment every change leader, HR professional, risk specialist, project practitioner, and corporate support function should prioritise: leadership engagement.

And spoiler alert- it's not Executive engagement! Therese explores why frontline and middle managers are the critical bridge between strategy and adoption, how communication alone is not enough. This episode is packed with practical insights for anyone responsible for influencing behaviour, embedding new ways of working, or leading change in fast-paced organisations.

Want to hear more about change management, change leadership and how to mature change in your organisation? Come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to find out more.

Are you under-resourcing change and setting your projects up for failure?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese unpacks how organisations should properly size change effort, allocate the right resources, and avoid one of the biggest mistakes in transformation delivery, which is assuming one person can handle complex organisational change.

In this episode we share practical lessons from leading change practices, managing portfolios, and building high-performing change teams that deliver results without burnout.

If you work in projects, transformation, PMOs, Change Practices, HR, communications, or leadership roles, this episode may change the approach you take and how you think about resourcing change.

If setting up a successful change practice is a focus of yours, then go to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com, and take our Enterprise Change Maturity assessment to find out where you organisation is on the maturity scale.

How do you prove that your change initiative is actually working?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese breaks down one of the most overlooked skills in change management—measurement.

From adoption rates and customer experience metrics to behavioural indicators, compliance reporting, workflow bottlenecks, and lead vs lag measures, you will be walked through how to quantify change success in practical ways.

If you work in projects, operations, HR, risk, compliance, communications, or transformation, then this episode will help you become more strategic, influential, and data-driven in your approach to change.

Because change isn’t vague. It can be measured.

And when you know how to measure it, you can show how change can be far more valuable than many realise.  Want to know how to implement change worth measuring? Come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to upskill and become a change expert.

Should your organisation launch change all at once, or test it first? 

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese breaks down the pro's, risks, and strategic considerations behind Big Bang vs Iterative Change Rollouts.

You’ll learn how to assess rollout risk, when pilots make sense, why technical dependencies matter, and how to avoid common implementation mistakes that damage trust.

If you're leading transformation, rolling out systems, or influencing organisational change, this episode discusses options and how through considered assessment you can take the options to leadership for decision making and guidance.

Culture is one of the most underestimated forces in change and yet it has the power to make or break your initiative. In this episode of Next Level Change Success,  Therese unpacks how culture shows up in both obvious and subtle ways, and why understanding it is critical to your effectiveness as a change leader or practitioner.

From leadership engagement and accountability structures to informal networks and behavioural cues, you will be walked through what to look for and how to adapt your approach. If you’ve ever felt like your change plan should be working, and yet it isn’t, this episode will help you understand why, and what to do differently next time.

Want to learn more about change management in organisations? Come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to learn from a change expert with more than 25 years experience in Change and Projects.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, we explore one of the most underrated yet powerful skills in change leadership, curiosity. Moving beyond surface-level questioning, this episode unpacks what it truly means to be genuinely curious and how this mindset can transform the way you lead, influence, and deliver change in your organisation.

You’ll learn how curiosity helps you uncover hidden risks, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and build trust, all the while avoiding the common pitfalls of assumption-led change. Whether you’re a leader, project professional, or change practitioner, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you ask questions and show you how curiosity can elevate your impact to the next level.

Are you curious about the world of organisational change management? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to learn more.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores what it really means to lead and influence during times of intense uncertainty. With global economic shifts, rising cost-of-living pressures, and rapid technological change, many professionals are feeling overwhelmed. This episode offers a grounded, practical perspective on how to stay centred, support your team, and continue delivering value, even when everything feels unpredictable.

You’ll learn how to recognise the hidden impacts of external pressure on workplace performance, why empathy and boundaries must work together, and how to focus on what you can control to maintain momentum. If you’re navigating change right now,personally or professionally, this episode will help you reset, refocus, and lead with clarity.

Want to learn more? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, we explore one of the most overlooked drivers of successful change: cause and effect. While many organisations focus on outputs, the reality is that the quality of your change is determined by the inputs you prioritise. Therese breaks down three critical areas that directly influence your outcomes: planning, impact assessment, and learning.

If you’ve ever felt like your change initiatives are reactive, chaotic, or harder than they need to be, this episode will give you some areas of cause where you can regain control. Learn how to create clarity, target your efforts, and build continuous improvement into your change approach, so you can deliver meaningful, people-centred outcomes every time.

Interested in all things change management, change leadership and change intelligence based? Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

In this Episode Therese explores the real change experience through the lens of a Change leader, a Change Manager (Facilitator) and through the eyes of an individual who is being impacted by the change.

One link through the entire conversation is the need for empathy and understanding, more now than ever. Like what you hear?

Visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to develop your change skills.

Why do some change initiatives succeed while others fall flat? Even with the 'right' frameworks in place?

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese unpacks the three critical layers that truly determine success in change: You, the Framework, and experience.

Drawing on over 20 years of real-world experience, Therese shares practical insights to help you:

• Improve your influence in complex environments

• Shift your mindset to unlock better outcomes

• Apply frameworks more effectively

• Build true change intelligence

If you’re a project professional, leader, or practitioner navigating change, this episode will challenge how you think about your role and give you the tools to elevate your impact. Like what you hear and want to learn how to tip towards success when needing to introduce change, visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

Why do so many organisational change initiatives struggle to gain momentum?

Often the answer isn’t strategy—it’s friction.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores the four most common friction points that slow or derail change inside organisations.

You’ll discover:

• Why generic communication creates confusion during change
• How a lack of feedback channels damages trust
• The critical role leaders play in owning and advocating for change
• Why co-design is essential for successful adoption

If you work in projects, transformation, HR, operations, or leadership, this episode will give you practical insights to help you remove friction and build momentum in your change initiatives.

Because when change becomes easier to experience, people are far more willing to embrace it. Looking to explore change and how it can be implemented well in organisations? Then come and visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to discover what change is when you take it deeper.

In this Episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese talks about the neverending 'grey' areas of change. If you are wanting to implement in a black and white way, with certainty and perfection you will be in for a rude shock and possibly experience neverending frustration. Some people will say things like 'they won't listen to me' or 'they don't understand change'.

Therese covers this and ways in which you can reflect on your approach and handle the 'grey' areas of change management with finesse and flexibility still achieving your outcomes but in an easier way. So if you are in that situation, then have a listen and consider some of the ways in which you may take a different approach to achieve a different outcome.

Like what you hear and keen to explore change in organisations? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to learn all about change management, change leadership and influencing for change. 

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores the deeper reality of leadership in change.

If you’re a leader, or working closely with leaders, this episode unpacks the three critical roles leaders play in change and why the conversation around “sponsorship” is too shallow.

You’ll discover:

• Why leadership in change is an ecosystem

• How peer alignment impacts performance

• The hidden cost of siloed leadership

• How everyday decisions create both intended and unconscious change

• Practical ways to develop your change intelligence

If you want to influence better, lead stronger, and navigate enterprise complexity with confidence as a leader or change facilitator working with leaders, then this is a must listen episode. Want to know and learn more? Come to myvirtualchangemanager.com to find out more.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores the real risks of relying on bottom-up change strategies, especially in enterprise environments.

If you’re struggling to gain traction with leadership and feel tempted to “just get it done” from the frontline, this episode is for you.

You’ll learn:

• Why grassroots momentum isn’t enough for transformation

• How to respectfully engage leadership hierarchy

• The true purpose of escalation

• Practical strategies to secure leadership alignment without damaging trust

• The layered approach that creates sustainable change

If you want your change initiatives to stick, not just move, press play.

If you are leading, managing, or influencing for change, come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to develop your change intelligence.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese Pares explores what really happens when you’re required to deliver change in high-pressure environments. 

From stakeholder tension to economic demands, regulatory scrutiny, AI disruption and personal performance expectations, pressure is part of modern change delivery and leadership.

You’ll learn:

• How to use the 'locus of control' method to manage overwhelm

• How to handle difficult stakeholders without losing energy

• Why emotional regulation is the core of change intelligence

• When to define boundaries and more importantly when to let go

• How to protect your performance through self-management

If you work in projects, HR, compliance, risk, or corporate transformation, this episode will help you lead change more consciously and sustainably.

Because performance without wellbeing is not success.

In this short but focused episode, Therese explores the way you can lead your organisation out of a change crisis, into a zone of change stability again. You will be stepped through some key areas of focus and action to take, so you can swing the change pendulum from chaos to calm. It might take time and concerted effort but it is possible, listen and learn how. If you want to continue your change journey and upskilling then come to myvirtualchangemanager.com and use our free tools, listen to more podcast episodes on change management and change leadership, or attend on of our courses.

Change leadership isn’t just about frameworks, plans, and communication, it’s about you.
In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores the often-ignored reality of change resilience including personal energy, wellbeing, and emotional regulation required to lead change sustainably.

You’ll learn:

• Why resilience is discovered during and after the change, not before it

• The hidden cost of leading change without protecting your energy

• How burnout undermines even “successful” change initiatives

• Practical ways to build change resilience through small, integrated habits

This episode is essential listening for leaders, project professionals, and change practitioners navigating constant transformation who want to perform at a high level, without sacrificing themselves in the process.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese unpacks one of the most misunderstood debates in the change profession: whether change management should be considered a process or not.

Drawing on 20+ years of real-world experience, she explains why process creates certainty, builds trust, and enables better outcomes — especially in complex, reactive environments.

You’ll learn:

• Why deferring to the change process can assist change practitioners to create clarity

• The 4-stage change model that works in real organisations

• How documentation can help with clarity

• How to use AI ethically to support change

• Why who you are being matters as much as what you do

If you work in projects, transformation, or continuous improvement programs this episode will change how you approach change.

What will change management look like in 2026 when Technology change is front and centre more than ever? In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores how AI, culture, and continuous transformation are reshaping organisations and why change capability is becoming a mandatory leadership skill. Perfect for project professionals and corporate support roles who want to influence better, lead change confidently, and perform at the next level. 

This year, if you ever doubted whether having change leadership, change management or influential change skills were of value, we will see those who invest in developing these skills flourish.

If you are understanding the urgency and want to avoid the frustration of introducing change that doesn't land, then come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to develop core change skills that will serve you in any role.

Change isn’t something you do, it's an experience. In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores why engagement rhythms, governance forums, and everyday interactions shape how change is experienced and adopted. Understanding and leveraging these rhythms should be part of your change management, change sponsorship and change leadership strategy.

You’ll learn:

• Why engagement is about commitment, not communication

• How cadence and rhythm influence momentum

• The hidden role governance plays in trust and clarity

• Why stakeholder hierarchy still matters

• How to design engagement that scales

Perfect for project managers, change practitioners, and corporate professionals who want to influence change more effectively with the best approach.

Like what you hear? Subscribe, and come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

Welcome to Season 5 of Next Level Change Success, a podcast dedicated to covering all things related to Change Management, Change Leadership and influencing behavioural and cultural change in organisations. In this first episode of 2026, Therese Pares covers the predicted themes this year that will have an influence on your organisations ability to change fast.

Whether it be change capacity, change capability or external influences and Artificial Intelligence, all organisations will require change management skills to be developed and embraced to be able to respond to the demands in 2026.

 If 2026 is the year to get serious and upskill in Change Management, Change leadership or being able to introduce new ways of working into your organisation, then come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

Sure, it is hard to choose a favourite Episode of 2025, but Therese Pares chooses her favourite with an important message. Ensure your change is inclusive. Change Management is a practice which you get better at, with time, and with more awareness about differences, the challenges of managing or leading change well increase. However using some of the basic principles outlined in this episode you can achieve better results with any change you introduce.

Like what you hear? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com and upskill in change management, change leadership or introducing change in a 'business as usual' context in an organisation.

We are almost at the end of the year. Season 4 is almost complete and we have covered many, many aspects of Change Management, Change Leadership, Change Intelligence. We have talked about Change Management Frameworks, engagement models, Change Management approaches and different types of Change. And there was one Episode which had more listens than any other. The topic - Change Resilience. And here it is again, in case you missed it!

As we are almost at year end I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for listening this year.

In this Episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese covers the opportunity that the end of the year presents to you from a change management, change leadership or even general leadership perspective. The more observational you are about your people, how your team are feeling, the more you can manage organisational change capacity next year in line with cycles and sentiment. Like what you hear about change management, change leadership and influencing for change?

Then come and visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to develop your change skills in a practical, smart and cost-effective way.

In this Episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores all of the aspects of Change Sponsorship. It is such a critical aspect of change management and change strategy, yet in the planning you can get it so wrong. Are you clear on who the Change Sponsors need to be? Are you aware of the challenges of leading and being the voice of the change? Are you underestimating or overestimating change leadership capabilities of your Change Sponsors? All of these questions are answered in this episode.

Want to know more about change leadership and change management? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to find out more.

In this episode we explore the wise words of a Fortune 500 CEO, who talked about the pace of organisational change. Yes, while the CEO may not have used those words, his insights into advice provided to them drew connections to many of the themes explored this year by My Virtual Change Manager. So have a listen about the pacing of change and how leaders and Executives can cripple the organisations or teams they lead if they don't develop their change intelligence well. Like what you hear? Subscribe or come to myvirtualchangemanager.com for more about change management, change leadership and influencing for change.

In this Episode, Therese covers the areas to really focus on when it comes to the call for 'Communications' regarding the change you are looking to introduce into an organisation. While this is a shorter episode, this is because it is just as succinct and focused as your activities need to be. There are three things to do to get your communications up and running and for it to be effective. Communication, when it comes to change management is like a leg on a stool - without this leg the change will be fundamentally compromised.

So have a listen and discover these three areas and then reflect on whether your change communications is fit for purpose.

Like what you hear? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

As a change manager, a change leader or influencer for change there are reflections that can be powerful when considering those who have lived and led change in their lives. This is a quirky episode, with Therese reflecting on how the losses of some icons has her thinking about how their role modelling and leadership has provided powerful lessons in the world of change. The mindset you can have, the way in which you can respect others and have a positive change impact in your every day life.

Like what you hear? Come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for frameworks and a deeper sense of purpose.

 The end is nigh - the end of the year that is! And like all business cycles, there are cycles in change management as well. In this week's episode Therese talks about what you should consider from a change management and enterprise change management perspective. This will have you look at the last quarter of the year from an entirely new perspective. This is where the art of connected thinking really comes to the fore. After all human's are not machines, and can have a lot of 'wear and tear' from poor change experiences throughout the year. So how do you optimise change in your organisation at this time of year? Listen and find out?

Come and visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to explore the world of change management, change leadership and influencing for change.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese tackles AI from a different angle. With the revolution that Artificial Intelligence is bringing to organisations, it needs a true change management strategy and plan. 

Discover how to roll out AI as a true transformation (not just a tech upgrade), the biggest pitfalls to avoid, and how to build a culture ready to adapt. Whether you’re a project manager, HR leader, or change practitioner, this episode will help you lead with confidence through the next wave of digital disruption.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to partner with AI, without losing your human edge.

Want to know more about change management, change leadership and how to influence for change in your organisation? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

Words create worlds. In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese unpacks how your everyday language whether it is spoken or in emails, used in workshops, and leadership moments, signals your values and shapes engagement. You’ll learn how to adapt language to different cultures and contexts to improve the engagement with your organisational, or team change. This episode is for you if you are leading a transformational change and want to make sure that you are giving it the best chance for success. Language will either engage or alienate your people - the choice is yours.

Want to learn more about change management, change leadership, transformational change and change in teams? Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com and add change management and change leadership skills into your business toolkit. There has never been a more important time to be able to handle, deliver and lead change well.

We all have biases. Some we know about; others quietly shape our thinking and decision-making from the shadows. In the world of change management, where people, relationships, and trust are everything, our personal bias can make or break the success of a change initiative.

Think about it. How often do you find yourself gravitating toward people who “think like you”? Or feeling instantly skeptical when someone offers a completely different approach? Bias is human. But left unchecked, it can limit creativity, silence diverse voices, and stifle growth.

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, we dive into how personal bias shows up in our everyday change work, why it often goes unnoticed, and how to start recognising and reshaping it so that it empowers, rather than limits, your ability to lead change effectively.

Like what you hear? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to upskill in change management, change leadership, change influencing.

In this short, sharp episode, Therese dives into the three most common traps that derail change efforts — rushing impact assessments, missing key stakeholders, and designing in isolation. Learn how to avoid these pitfalls and build change that actually sticks through change management planning that makes a difference and takes these into account. Whether you’re working on a corporate transformation or a process tweak, this episode gives you practical tools to get it right the first time.

Like what you hear and want to create a change management plan that works?

Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese takes us on a reflective journey back to 2013, unearthing an old Prosci Benchmark Study on what drives successful change. More than a trip down memory lane, it’s a powerful reminder of what truly matters in our modern workplaces — and how much of it still revolves around people.

Therese explores how the fundamentals including executive sponsorship, communication, engagement, and integration with projects, have evolved over the past decade, and why middle managers are now the real linchpin of transformation. This episode is your guide to rethinking “success factors” in 2025 and finding alignment, authenticity, and purpose in how you deliver change.

Want to learn more about change? Come and visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com