Change is perhaps the most challenging of capabilities, not just for organisations but for individuals, teams and leaders, too. We may not know exactly how AI will impact our lives, but what is certain is that it will involve change. Faster and more frequent change, too. In this episode of Curious Business, I talk to Christopher Martlew, who has spent his career exploring how organisations navigate uncertain and dynamic landscapes, about how to navigate and master change.

The author of Leadership Recharged and Changing the Mind the Organisation, Chris explains how we need to make strategy more organic and responsive. Leaders need to move beyond vision-setting, owning change so they can accelerate and improve their ability to adapt. In the process, we discussed topics like:

• Do people actually like change, and how well-prepared are we for it?
• What happens when the AI agent on your management board disagrees with the rest of the leadership team?
• Is having 53 direct reports the way for leaders to go?
• What happens when IT is everywhere, not just in the IT department?

Connect with Chris at https://www.tangiblemanagement.nl/

Buy 'Changing the Mind of the Organization' on Amazon.

Pre-order Chris' upcoming book The Digital Executive. (Released March 2025)

Also mentioned in this episode: Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Picketty.

Stephanie Forrest is the founder and CEO of comms specialists TFD. She joins the podcast to share her experience working with disruptive and emerging technology businesses. From working with startups to global companies, Stephanie shares her expertise in crafting engaging narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.

Hear how the communications landscape has evolved and learn effective strategies getting talked about in a crowded media space. Whether you are a startup trying to carve a niche or an established brand looking for a fresh approach, this episode provides practical tips and real-world examples of driving engagement and creating meaningful connections.

Listen to this episode to find out about:

• The media and content landscape and what it means for brands
• Knowing why people should care about your company or product
• Finding your business’ story and making sure it’s something people understand
• What stops messages from 'cutting through' and shaping a story that connects
• How TFD frames and supports stories to make sure they engage journalists and readers

Connect with Steph at www.wearetfd.com.

The Adaptavist Group’s latest Digital Etiquette report ‘Mind the Generational Gap’ is available here: https://www.theadaptavistgroup.com/resources/insights/digital-etiquette/generational-gap

Karen Green is a retail sales expert, keynote speaker and best-selling author. I wanted to talk to Karen about her latest book – Buyerology – and how understanding buyers helps us sell better.

She started her career as a professional buyer – for Boots and Tesco – before moving to the other side of the table. Since then, she has used her experience to help business owners sell to professional buyers too. With Buyerology, however, Karen has created an approach to help you sell to all kinds of people (not just those who do it for a living). Not only that, it can be applied to all kinds of ‘selling’ (such as career development) to make it a fundamental part of how you execute your business plan.

Listen to this episode to find out:

• The surprising lengths professional buyers go to in order to gain leverage
• How to not sell
• When you should start building your leverage and power for sales conversations
• How you can use the BUYER framework to sell yourself
• The hardest thing to do in a negotiation

Connect with Karen at www.buyerology.co.uk and buy the book on Amazon.

Also referenced in this episode: Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss.