299. Why Leaders Fail at Difficult Conversations

What this episode covers

In episode 299 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Jeff Wetherhold, Harvard-trained behavioral scientist, change leadership expert, and faculty member with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Jeff has spent more than 20 years helping leaders engage people in meaningful change through the principles of Motivational Interviewing, bringing evidence-based communication strategies from healthcare into leadership, education, government, and nonprofit organizations.We talk about why so many change initiatives fail, why difficult conversations often create resistance instead of reflection, and how leaders can recognize the early signs of disengagement before they become conflict. Jeff shares practical insights on leading change with curiosity, dignity, and less exhaustion while building genuine commitment instead of compliance.In this episode, we discuss:• Why 88% of change efforts fail to create lasting impact• Why clarity and honesty alone don't guarantee productive conversations• How leaders unintentionally create defensiveness instead of engagement• The early language signals that reveal ambivalence before resistance appears• How Motivational Interviewing helps leaders create trust, ownership, and lasting changeThis is a practical and thought-provoking conversation for leaders, managers, coaches, and anyone who wants to communicate more effectively while leading people through uncertainty and change.You can connect with Jeff here: https://www.changewithdignity.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/wetherhold/Thank you for joining me on this episode of IDEAS+LEADERS. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review so that more people can enjoy the podcast on Apple https://apple.co/3fKv9IH or Spotify https://sptfy.com/Nrtq.

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How long is this episode of IDEAS+LEADERS?

This episode is 27 minutes long.

When was this IDEAS+LEADERS episode published?

This episode was published on May 25, 2026.

What is this episode about?

In episode 299 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Jeff Wetherhold, Harvard-trained behavioral scientist, change leadership expert, and faculty member with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Jeff has spent more than 20 years helping...

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