Change Management Leadership

Change is both inevitable and essential for sustained success. Yet, most change initiatives fail to achieve their objectives, leaving organizations struggling to adapt and grow. Navigating change effectively has become a critical skill for leaders at all levels.

This program equips participants with the leadership skills to oversee transformational efforts, overcome resistance, and inspire their organizations to thrive in the face of uncertainty. By addressing the psychological, systemic, and strategic dimensions of change—and incorporating Nobel Prize-winning research in Behavioral Economics—participants will activate untapped value within their organizations to lead change more efficiently and effectively.

Through cutting-edge frameworks, practical applications and action plans, assessments, and hands-on experiences, this program empowers leaders to make their approach to change management a competitive advantage.

By attending, you will:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of why change initiatives succeed or fail.
• Analyze both the rational and emotional components of successful change.
• Acquire practical frameworks for leading systemic change.
• Discover how to activate hidden value within your organization to drive efficient change initiatives.
• Enhance your interpersonal influence and techniques for gaining buy-in.
• Learn how to lead teams that adapt to future business challenges.
• Participate in hands-on simulations and real-world applications to solidify your learning.
• Explore the interactive exhibits at Chicago Booth Mindworks to discover how behavioral science insights can drive impactful change.

The program is ideal for leaders across diverse industries and geographies, offering a globally relevant leadership experience tailored to today’s complex business environment.

• Senior Executives and Managers: Leaders tasked with navigating complex challenges, managing organizational transformation, and inspiring teams to achieve strategic objectives.
• Change Leaders and Project Managers: Professionals leading change initiatives, implementing new processes, or driving innovation within their organizations.
• HR and People Leaders: Those responsible for cultivating a culture of adaptability, motivating teams, and managing resistance to change.
• Entrepreneurs and Business Owners: Visionaries looking to implement scalable changes and align their organizations for sustained growth.
• Emerging Leaders and High-Potential Professionals: Individuals preparing to take on greater leadership responsibilities and wanting to enhance their skills in managing and leading change effectively.

Whether you are managing organizational transformation or looking to refine your leadership approach, this program will provide the strategic leadership tools and insights needed to succeed as a change agent in today’s dynamic business environment.

This program includes an exclusive site visit to Mindworks, located in downtown Chicago.

Contribute to the Advancement of Science
Mindworks is a hub for behavioral science research led by some of the world’s foremost experts, including Nicholas Epley and Nobel laureate Richard H. Thaler. Supported by the Roman Family Center for Decision Research and PIMCO, these researchers continue to push the boundaries of behavioral science, uncovering new truths about human judgment and decision-making.

Through interactive exhibits and innovative research, participants will:

• Discover Predictable Patterns: Examine common errors in human judgment and decision-making to better understand how they impact behavior.
• Apply Behavioral Science Principles: Learn how to translate groundbreaking insights into practical strategies for success in organizational and personal contexts.
• Gain Techniques to Motivate Teams: Gain actionable techniques to inspire and guide teams by leveraging decision-making frameworks that drive success.

Participants will not only observe but also contribute to this groundbreaking work, gaining valuable insights to apply in both professional and personal contexts.

*Mindworks is operated by the Roman Family Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and serves as the home for the center’s PIMCO Decision Research Laboratories.

Understanding the Challenge of Change

• Why Change Is So Difficult: Explore why most change initiatives fail and analyze examples of success and failure
• Change Pitfalls: Avoiding the psychological traps that make change initiatives costly, time-consuming, and inefficient
• Taking Charge: Learn what to do—and avoid—in the early stages of change to build a strong foundation for transformation.

Systemic Approaches to Leading Change

• Formal and Informal Dynamics: Understand how organizational culture and hidden power structures influence change.
• Levers of Systemic Change: Use a systems approach to align organizational elements for success and diagnose past failures.

Influence and Buy-In

• Getting Buy-In: Transform disengaged employees into change agents using proven strategies and case studies.
• Rational and Emotional Drivers: Master interpersonal influence techniques to gain support from skeptics and opponents.

Change Agents and Organizational Evolution

• Bottom-Up Change Agents: Identify and empower grassroots change agents within your organization.
• The Changing Nature of Great Organizations: Understand transformative trends and how leaders can adapt to modern business challenges.

Simulations and Action Plans

• Global Tech Simulation: Apply change management concepts in a real-time, immersive simulation.
• The Personal Side of Change: Reflect on program insights, revisit key challenges, and create a personal action plan to lead change effectively.
• Pre- and Post-Program Survey: Measure the growth in your capabilities and identify areas of future focus.

Program subject to change.