EP73: Leadership 101 - Leading Change with Ben Caird
Wed Feb 04 2026
Leading through change isn't about sending a broadcast email and hoping for the best. In this episode, Ben Caird breaks down why most change initiatives fail and shares the ADKAR framework that actually gets teams moving in the same direction.
Ben Caird is a seasoned professional leader. He's led teams of all sizes in a variety of tech companies and has years of experience.
Show Links
Ben Pearce LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpthoughts/
Tech World Human Skills Home - https://www.techworldhumanskills.com
Ben Caird Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcaird/
Keywords
change management, leadership, adkar framework, stakeholder buy-in, team transformation, organizational change, effective communication, awareness and desire, change resistance, business impact
Takeaways
If you're not driving change, you're probably not leading.
The ADKAR model is a great way to think about driving change.
People resist change by default - you need to create genuine desire, not just awareness.
Starting with "how to change" before explaining "why change" is where most initiatives fail.
Effective change takes time with the right people; efficient change just broadcasts instructions that nobody follows.
Change champions who are peers often influence adoption more than senior leaders telling people what to do.
You get what you inspect - measuring adoption by team creates healthy accountability.
The right executive sponsor can unblock resistance and hold stakeholders accountable when you can't.
Sometimes you need to build a pilot and prove value before you can get widespread buy-in.
Not every change battle is worth fighting - if you can't get past awareness and desire, question whether it's the right idea.
More
Leading through change isn't about sending a broadcast email and hoping for the best. In this episode, Ben Caird breaks down why most change initiatives fail and shares the ADKAR framework that actually gets teams moving in the same direction. Ben Caird is a seasoned professional leader. He's led teams of all sizes in a variety of tech companies and has years of experience. Show Links Ben Pearce LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpthoughts/ Tech World Human Skills Home - https://www.techworldhumanskills.com Ben Caird Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcaird/ Keywords change management, leadership, adkar framework, stakeholder buy-in, team transformation, organizational change, effective communication, awareness and desire, change resistance, business impact Takeaways If you're not driving change, you're probably not leading. The ADKAR model is a great way to think about driving change. People resist change by default - you need to create genuine desire, not just awareness. Starting with "how to change" before explaining "why change" is where most initiatives fail. Effective change takes time with the right people; efficient change just broadcasts instructions that nobody follows. Change champions who are peers often influence adoption more than senior leaders telling people what to do. You get what you inspect - measuring adoption by team creates healthy accountability. The right executive sponsor can unblock resistance and hold stakeholders accountable when you can't. Sometimes you need to build a pilot and prove value before you can get widespread buy-in. Not every change battle is worth fighting - if you can't get past awareness and desire, question whether it's the right idea.