Jennifer Selby Long

Now, people who suffer from that problem often aren't aware that they're suffering from it, but also do not respond to coaching. And the politics that they drive are from a whole different place. And it is going to be extremely difficult in that environment to manage your way through the politics and to drive change. And that is one whole animal that is

Now, people who suffer from that problem often aren't aware that they're suffering from it, but also do not respond to coaching. And the politics that they drive are from a whole different place. And it is going to be extremely difficult in that environment to manage your way through the politics and to drive change. And that is one whole animal that is

It is just beyond the scope, I think, of what we could cover in this particular episode of the podcast. But the other driver, which I find much, much more common, is that politics exists because people have different needs and because people have different skill levels. And so someone who is particularly good at recognizing the needs of the people who wield the most power

It is just beyond the scope, I think, of what we could cover in this particular episode of the podcast. But the other driver, which I find much, much more common, is that politics exists because people have different needs and because people have different skill levels. And so someone who is particularly good at recognizing the needs of the people who wield the most power

is going to be better at figuring out how to get those people on board with the change, right? And so it becomes, so again, it's so funny that politics triggers our saboteurs make us want to defend ourselves, right? They are all about survival. But in fact, we circle right back to empathy because being able to understand

is going to be better at figuring out how to get those people on board with the change, right? And so it becomes, so again, it's so funny that politics triggers our saboteurs make us want to defend ourselves, right? They are all about survival. But in fact, we circle right back to empathy because being able to understand

and empathize the competing needs of the many stakeholders involved in a change is the path forward. It is the path forward. You cannot move through the creative process that you need to have to construct that change in such a way that it meets multiple needs. You will not, without empathy, be able to bring together leaders who need to come together and who don't especially want to.

and empathize the competing needs of the many stakeholders involved in a change is the path forward. It is the path forward. You cannot move through the creative process that you need to have to construct that change in such a way that it meets multiple needs. You will not, without empathy, be able to bring together leaders who need to come together and who don't especially want to.

So, that, again, is the foundation. Above and beyond that, multiple steps, and maybe that's the subject for another podcast, but you will want to defend yourself against politics, but...

So, that, again, is the foundation. Above and beyond that, multiple steps, and maybe that's the subject for another podcast, but you will want to defend yourself against politics, but...

Opening yourself up to really putting yourself in the shoes of all of these people who seem to have power that perhaps you think they don't deserve is the foundation to understanding what's going on and to being able to navigate or, as I like to think of it, surf your way through those political waves and those choppy waters.

Opening yourself up to really putting yourself in the shoes of all of these people who seem to have power that perhaps you think they don't deserve is the foundation to understanding what's going on and to being able to navigate or, as I like to think of it, surf your way through those political waves and those choppy waters.

I always say my practice and the focus of this coaching practice was not something that I determined. It found me. And by that, I became an accidental change manager in the early nineties when I was just Jennifer from the IT training department. And I would get contacted because someone would want some technical training. And the very first project that I did at this company.

I always say my practice and the focus of this coaching practice was not something that I determined. It found me. And by that, I became an accidental change manager in the early nineties when I was just Jennifer from the IT training department. And I would get contacted because someone would want some technical training. And the very first project that I did at this company.

I was so excited because they said they're not adopting storing their work on the servers and they need some training. So I showed up ready with my pencil sharpened and I was waiting to hear the process and the manager driving that project listed the first three steps, which I wrote down and then he stopped. because that was the whole process. Vincent was three steps long.

I was so excited because they said they're not adopting storing their work on the servers and they need some training. So I showed up ready with my pencil sharpened and I was waiting to hear the process and the manager driving that project listed the first three steps, which I wrote down and then he stopped. because that was the whole process. Vincent was three steps long.

Anyone with an engineering degree can execute a three-step process. And training really only helps you with learning how to do things that you can't do. And so with that, my colleague and I began digging into why on earth are they not executing this simple three-step process? And that was really the first change management type of project that found me.

Anyone with an engineering degree can execute a three-step process. And training really only helps you with learning how to do things that you can't do. And so with that, my colleague and I began digging into why on earth are they not executing this simple three-step process? And that was really the first change management type of project that found me.

Now, over the years, as I shifted back into my primary interest, which is really around people and organizations and the development of those, I kept finding that the change-related challenges kept finding me. And they were exhausting and I didn't want to do them because I didn't like conflict and change always involves some conflict.

Now, over the years, as I shifted back into my primary interest, which is really around people and organizations and the development of those, I kept finding that the change-related challenges kept finding me. And they were exhausting and I didn't want to do them because I didn't like conflict and change always involves some conflict.