#37 Jennifer Selby Long: Personal Change First, Tech Change Second

Jennifer Selby Long has spent 30 years helping leaders navigate change—long before “change management” became a buzzword. In this episode, the Gen X executive coach reflects on how she stumbled into her calling during the early days of IT transformation, and why emotional intelligence—not just operational efficiency—is what drives successful digital change. Drawing from her own career pivots and coaching experiences, Jennifer explains how change must be mastered on a personal level before it can be led across an organization. For Gen Xers who’ve seen multiple waves of tech disruption and economic downturns, her story reminds us: experience isn’t old news—it’s the operating system for modern leadership.>>The Accidental Change Manager“I became an accidental change manager in the early 90s.”Jennifer shares how a basic IT training request exposed a deeper problem—one that launched her decades-long journey into change leadership.>>Coaching Tech Leaders Through the Chaos“We help leaders win at change.”From digital transformation to cybersecurity to user experience, Jennifer explains why leadership—not just management—is the biggest missing link in most change initiatives.>>A Gen X Career Rooted in Both People and Process“I kept trying to do stable things, but the change kept coming at me.”She describes how she went from resisting change to becoming its strategic champion—shaped by trial, error, and real-world messiness.>>The Power of Performance Psychology“Coaches aren’t therapists. They’re here to help you win.”Her earliest coaching experience came from a sports psychologist—and that mindset still guides how she supports high performers today.>>Understanding the Natural Process of Personal Change"There are three stages: endings, transition, and new beginnings.”Jennifer walks us through Bill Bridges’ model of change—and how leaders often forget their teams are still at the beginning when they’ve already moved on.__________________________Connect with Jennifer Selby Long