Leading Change When The Old You No Longer Works: Mastering Transformation Through Heart-Centered Leadership
Join Julie Riga as she sits down with Lin Coughlin, Executive Coach and Strategic Advisor, to explore how leading bold transformation requires both thick skin and deep curiosity—and why the human side of change matters more than any strategic plan. Discover how to navigate high-stakes inflection points, build constituencies for change, and turn uncertainty into your greatest leadership invitation.
In This Episode:
✨ Why future state thinking must come first when leading transformative change
✨ How 80% of change success comes from cultivating trusting relationships—not just performance metrics
✨ The reason 70% of change initiatives fail and how to avoid becoming another statistic
✨ Why corporate disruptors are "incognito entrepreneurs" and the future of every organization
✨ How to transition from corporate executive to entrepreneur while building multiple revenue streams
✨ Why leading from the heart first, then the head, creates lasting organizational impact
Key Takeaways:
📌 Lead change like a movement—start with possibility and its achievability, then work backward
📌 The human condition is to resist change—plan for it and work through it with empathy
📌 Surround yourself with people who can do circles around you, then invest in their development
📌 Disruptors need psychologically safe spaces to raise bold ideas without fear
📌 Cultural transformation must accompany strategic change or initiatives won't sustain
📌 The corporate-to-entrepreneur transition is genuinely difficult—expect to "quit every Friday" at first
📌 Change leadership requires influence mastery, self-awareness, and the ability to fail forward
Memorable Quotes:
"What got you here will not get you there."
– Lin Coughlin
"Leading change is all about the personal side of it. 80% of leading change comes from being able to cultivate trusting and trusted relationships."
– Lin Coughlin
"The disruptors really are the people who are the future of the organization. You just have to coach and mentor them very strategically."
– Lin Coughlin
"You've got to work on the communications of that possibility over and over and over again, as if you were building a brand."
– Lin Coughlin
"Start your own business—you got that right, girl. That's a masterclass in leadership right there."
– Lin Coughlin
"When you're leading change, you're in a very uncertain environment much of the time, and you've got to be able to pivot and adapt and be resilient and course correct quickly."
– Lin Coughlin
Perfect for corporate executives, women leaders navigating career transitions, entrepreneurs, and change makers who want to lead transformation with authenticity, strategic clarity, and heart-centered purpose.
Connect with Lin Coughlin:
🌐 greatcircleassociates.com
📧 lin.coughlin@greatcircleassociates.com
💼 Executive Coaching & Strategic Advisory
👥 Leadership Development for High-Potential Women Leaders
Connect with Julie:
🌐 julieriga.com/lead
🎧 Stay On Course Podcast
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