Doing Change With Less

Five Change leaders tell what really works in doing change with less resources

Change leaders often operate with passion-rich yet capacity-thin settings. In this conversation, five practitioners share direct answers to practical questions about doing change, how to lead, sequence and sustain change when money, time and headcount are limited. Their views are distinct and experience-based, offering grounded takeaways that you can apply immediately.

Start with mindset and context

Lara Doundoulakis speaks to the mindset shift required when resources are tight. She stresses adaptability, curiosity and what she calls a beginner mindset. Rather than arrive with heavy frameworks, she focuses on learning fast, getting close to how work happens and using conversation to surface what matters. In her words, the priority is the quality of the relationship at the frontline. If an activity does not help that relationship, it moves down the list

Huw Thomas differentiates between passion for purpose and the management capability needed to land change. He highlights the discipline of governance, sponsorship and behaviour change. For Huw, the work is to harness commitment while building the organisation’s competence to lead change well. Doing change well includes creating simple, explicit ownership so people know who decides, who sponsors and who delivers

Jane Judd encourages Change Managers to drop jargon and tune into how the organisation already works. She prefers minimum viable change mechanics that fit the cadence of the business. Jane repeatedly returns to five crisp questions as a through-line for clarity: what, why, when, who and how. This provides a common language for leaders and teams without adding noise

Tanner Chambers keeps the focus on human outcomes. He notes that in purpose-driven settings, success is felt in lives impacted, not just in dashboards. Tanner’s advice is to stay close to the reality of frontline work, build credible champions and ensure visible leadership presence. He emphasises celebrating small wins to maintain energy when the emotional load is high

Caroline Mills puts trust at the centre. In low-budget environments, passion is abundant, yet adoption hinges on trust built through listening, honesty and practical support. Caroline is clear that change teams facilitate and the business owns. Where there is no PMO, executives need accessible tools and coaching so they can lead change with confidence

Ownership that sticks

The panel responds consistently when asked who owns what. Huw Thomas advises codifying roles in plain language. Executives and boards own decisions, direction and visible sponsorship. Project roles shape and implement solutions while engaging stakeholders. Managers and employees make change real in day-to-day work. Writing this down avoids the trap where everyone cares, yet no one is explicitly accountable

Caroline Mills adds that leaders often need hands-on help to build capability. Teach them to sketch future state, work through impacts and plan adoption. Confidence grows when executives practise the basics in their own words. That, in turn, signals real ownership to the organisation

Tanner Chambers echoes the need for presence. With limited structure, capability building starts at the top and moves quickly through trusted champions. Leaders show sponsorship by turning up, asking direct questions and removing blockers that teams cannot move themselves

Prioritising when everything feels urgent

Asked how to choose what to do first, the speakers give concrete guidance.

• Anchor on executive alignment. Huw Thomas often begins by aligning the leadership group on what drives successful change. Without shared understanding, competing priorities multiply and delivery stalls
• Keep the framework lean. Jane Judd looks for existing rhythms and informal leaders. She uses what already works rather than adding process. The goal is enough structure to create clarity without burden
• Protect the frontline relationship. Lara Doundoulakis prioritises initiatives that improve the day-to-day experience where services meet people. She finds that tools only work when leaders use them to make real decisions, like trade-offs that reduce friction for client-facing teams
• Build or repair trust first. Caroline Mills has seen the emotional impact when change is done to people. She advises investing early in relationships and credibility. Adoption follows when people believe leaders are listening and acting in good faith
• Measure what matters to people. Tanner Chambers prefers practical, incremental progress. Naming and celebrating small steps helps teams feel movement and sustains momentum

Practical behaviours that move the needle

Across their answers, the panel converges on simple, observable behaviours that make change land.

• Spend time where the work happens. Shadow teams, watch the flow and let what you learn shape decisions
• Use five questions for alignment. Jane Judd recommends what, why, when, who and how to keep everyone on the same page
• Strip back artefacts. Create only the templates or canvases that teams will actually use
• Name roles clearly. Huw Thomas urges explicit sponsorship, decision rights and delivery ownership
• Coach leaders to lead. Caroline Mills focuses on equipping executives to tell the story, map impacts and sequence adoption
• Back credible champions. Tanner Chambers highlights the value of respected frontline advocates with air cover from leaders
• Tell human stories. Lara Doundoulakis values conversation and storytelling to connect change with real experience

Building capability, not dependency

The speakers address how to grow capability when formal structures are thin.

Caroline Mills prioritises executive capability. If leaders can map change, make trade-offs and speak in their own words, confidence rises across the system. She stresses using simple tools that fit context rather than importing heavy constructs

Huw Thomas focuses on the management disciplines that underpin adoption. He encourages leaders to treat sponsorship and governance as active behaviours. That includes showing up in the right rooms, making decisions on priorities and modelling the change story

Lara Doundoulakis returns to curiosity and learning fast. Capability grows when teams feel safe to test, adapt and keep what works. This is especially important when the environment shifts quickly and plans need to flex

Jane Judd integrates capability building into everyday work. She uses lightweight practices that help people deliver while learning. The effect is cumulative rather than theatrical

Tanner Chambers brings the human lens. Capability sticks when people experience small wins, see leaders removing obstacles and feel that progress is real in their world

Getting started in purpose-driven settings

When asked how to begin, the panel’s answers are pragmatic.

• Connect to the mission. Tanner Chambers frames decisions through the lives impacted and encourages teams to recognise progress people can feel
• Listen first. Caroline Mills emphasises trust built through honesty, presence and practical support
• Be adaptable. Lara Doundoulakis encourages the beginner mindset, learning quickly and tailoring effort to what helps the frontline
• Keep it simple. Jane Judd advises using plain language and minimum viable practices rather than adding layers
• Make ownership explicit. Huw Thomas recommends writing down who sponsors, who decides and who delivers to avoid diffusion of accountability

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