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Jayne Price on making work work better (CAL137, S8E2) episode artwork

Jan 28, 2026 1 hr 13 min

Jayne Price on making work work better (CAL137, S8E2)

from Changing Academic Life

Jayne Price is all about making work work better. She is the Transformation Director and Head of Continuous Improvement at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Jayne discusses her journey to her current role in UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the strategies she employs to foster human-centered, purpose-led change in the organization. She emphasizes the importance of leadership that is grounded in trust, accountability, and psychological safety, and the role of experimental and agile approaches in driving systemic transformation. Jayne also shares practical examples, including the implementation of Holacracy and continuous improvement initiatives. The conversation highlights the challenges and successes in transforming our traditionally bureaucratic research culture into a more effective and innovative environment. Jayne offers valuable insights for leaders at all levels and showcases the value of empowering teams to do their best work. 00:29 Introduction to the Episode 03:41 Introducing Jayne and her Career Journey 06:52 Understanding Project versus Program Management 07:59 From Change to Transformation 12:14 Implementing Experiments and Measuring Change 14:10 Challenges in the Academic and Research Sector 19:54 Innovative Approaches to Leadership and Management 27:21 Designing Alternative Promotion Routes 29:21 Challenges to Identity and Developing Leaders 35:50 Moving from 'I' to 'We' as a Leader 37:53 The Mindset to Move to 'We' 40:13 Humility, Vulnerability and Authenticity in Leadership 43:26 Shadow Sides, Blind Spots and Experimenting with Different Approaches 47:31 Starting to See the Benefits 50:53 Creating Workplaces For People to Flourish 53:04 The Holacracy Experiment - Creating Clarity 55:42 Doing Meetings Differently 59:22 Empowerment and Autonomy with Accountability 01:01:47 Corporate Rebels and Other Inspirational Resources 01:06:31 The Critical Importance of Leadership Buy-In 01:08:01 Everyone Can Choose Leadership Behaviours at Any Level 01:09:51 Encouragement for Change Agents 01:11:39 Outro About Jayne: Jayne Price https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-price71/ UKRI https://www.ukri.org STFC https://www.ukri.org/councils/stfc/ Related links: Cynefin framework for making sense of complexity Corporate Rebels Diederick Janse and Marc-Peter Pijper from Corporate Rebels supported the Holocracy Trials GlassFrog: “the cutting-edge self-management platform that empowers teams with clarity and autonomy” Tuff Leadership Training Books: Aaron Dignan, Brave New Work, Portfolio, 2019 Daniel Pink, Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us, Riverhead Books, 2011 Joost Minnaar and Pim de Morree, Corporate Rebels: Make Work More Fun, 2020 Jon Alexander, Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us, Simon and Schuster, 2023 Diederick Janse & Marco Bogers, Getting Started With Holacracy: Upgrading Your Team's Productivity, 2020, AbeBooks Robin Sharma, The Leader Who Had No Title, Free Press, 2010. Harvard Business Review Related CAL Podcasts: Fostering psychological safety in research environments 30 Oct 24 Elizabeth Churchill on creating culture, leading teams, loving challenges - she talks about Cynefin Framework ~6:30 mins

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Jayne Price on making work work better (CAL137, S8E2)

0:00 1:13:16

Chapters

  1. 0:00 Jayne Price on transforming culture, leaders, and teams (CAL137, S8E2)
  2. 0:29 Introduction to the Episode
  3. 3:41 Introducing Jayne and her Career Journey
  4. 6:52 Understanding Project versus Program Management
  5. 7:59 From Change to Transformation
  6. 12:14 Implementing Experiments and Measuring Change
  7. 14:10 Challenges in the Academic and Research Sector
  8. 19:54 Innovative Approaches to Leadership and Management
  9. 27:21 Designing Alternative Promotion Routes
  10. 29:21 Challenges to Identity and Developing Leaders
  11. 35:50 Moving from 'I' to 'We' as a Leader
  12. 37:53 The Mindset to Move to 'We'
  13. 40:13 Humility, Vulnerability and Authenticity in Leadership
  14. 43:26 Shadow Sides, Blind Spots and Experimenting with Different Approaches
  15. 47:31 Starting to See the Benefits
  16. 50:53 Creating Workplaces For People to Flourish
  17. 53:04 The Holacracy Experiment - Creating Clarity
  18. 55:42 Doing Meetings Differently
  19. 59:22 Empowerment and Autonomy with Accountability
  20. 1:01:47 Corporate Rebels and Other Inspirational Resources
  21. 1:06:31 The Critical Importance of Leadership Buy-In
  22. 1:08:01 Everyone Can Choose Leadership Behaviours at Any Level
  23. 1:09:51 Encouragement for Change Agents
  24. 1:11:39 Outro

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This episode was published on January 28, 2026.

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