The Mindset Game® Podcast

Change rarely fails because the strategy is wrong. More often, it slows or stalls because the human side of change is underestimated.

In Episode 252 of The Mindset Game podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Julie Whitten, a seasoned change leader, about the psychology of pushback and what helps change move forward.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience supporting large-scale transformations across complex industries, Julie explains why resistance is a natural part of change and what leaders can learn by paying attention to it. Together, they explore how leaders can reduce friction, build trust, and create momentum by focusing on how change is experienced.

In this conversation, you'll learn:
Why pushback often reflects uncertainty or care, not opposition
How urgency and pressure can unintentionally slow adoption
What helps people feel clearer and more willing to engage
To learn more about Julie's work, visit juliewhittenconsulting.com or find her on LinkedIn.

To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Awkward moments are often treated as something to avoid. But what if they are actually a doorway to growth, connection, and influence?
In Episode 251 of The Mindset Game podcast, Vered Kogan sits down with Henna Pryor, workplace performance expert, keynote speaker, and author of Good Awkward, to explore why awkwardness is not a weakness to eliminate, but a skill leaders can develop. Drawing on her research and real-world experience, Henna shares practical insights including:
Why awkward moments are often signals of growth rather than failure
How the stories we tell ourselves after awkward interactions shape future behavior
How to improve your "comeback rate" and recover more quickly from social discomfort
To connect with Henna or learn more about her work, visit hennapryor.com or find her on LinkedIn.
To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Every major decision in an organization sits inside a web of competing demands. Leaders are often pulled between stability and change, structure and flexibility, and clarity and complexity. When leaders learn to work with these tensions instead of treating them as problems, they open up more creative, resilient, and human ways of leading.

In Episode 250 of The Mindset Game podcast, Wendy Smith, thought leader at Harvard Business Publishing and co-author of Both And Thinking, explores how leaders can navigate paradox and make better decisions in complex environments. Drawing on her research and experience studying how organizations handle competing priorities, she shares practical insights including:
How to move beyond either-or thinking toward more expansive both-and solutions
Why opposing demands are not problems to eliminate but realities to manage
How leaders can build the emotional and relational capacity to hold tension well
To connect with Wendy or learn more about her work, visit wendykmsmith.com or find her on LinkedIn.

To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Every organizational change is also a personal one. It affects how people work, how they see themselves, what they feel confident about, and what feels uncertain. When leaders understand this, they can better support their teams through the transition.

In Episode 249 of The Mindset Game podcast, change management expert Kate DeGon, Founder and CEO of ChangeSync, shares what it takes to effectively lead change and how leaders can create conditions that make change feel safer, clearer, and more sustainable for the people involved. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience guiding Fortune 500 companies through major transformations, she offers valuable insights including: 
How change champions can help people feel informed, included, and supported
Why transparency matters even when leaders don't yet have all the answers
How to prevent change fatigue and support people through transitions
To connect with Kate or learn more about her work and upcoming events, visit changesync.com or find her on LinkedIn.

To subscribe to The Mindset Game® podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Many leaders move through their days in constant motion — responding, deciding, fixing, and moving on to the next thing. Radical presence offers a different way. It is the practice of being fully with another person while staying calm and grounded within yourself.  

Joy Lubeck, our guest in this episode of The Mindset Game® podcast, embodies and teaches this approach. Joy is the founder of Lead Fully and a presence-based coach trained in the Time to Think approach, developed by Nancy Kline. In this episode, Joy explains how to be present and shares powerful ideas that reshape everyday conversations:
Why radical presence helps people access their best thinking
How slowing down conversations can actually accelerate alignment and results
Simple ways leaders can practice radical presence in meetings and daily interactions
To learn more about Joy and her work, visit https://lead-fully.com.

To subscribe to The Mindset Game® podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.