A human-centered approach to navigating change: Insights from 'The Planet and Me'

‘The Planet and Me’ webinar series features expert conversations packed with actionable insights to drive meaningful change. When it comes to change, and change leadership, NextMapping™ founder Cheryl Cran is the authority. Whether you are a manager, engineer or sales professional, Cran says the key to successful innovation is confronting your own resistance to change. 

With this knowledge plus conscious communication and personal accountability, leaders can transform workplace challenges into opportunities. While AI and automation adoption continues to accelerate, Cran argues that focusing on individuals — not tech — is the key to leading successful change. 

Here is her three-pronged, human-centered approach we discussed in our conversation:

1. Change resistance is not just something to be overcome. It is something to be confronted with and understood. Treating regular one-on-ones as more than just check-ins is one opportunity for leaders to understand the human dynamics behind change resistance and to build trust through conscious communication.
2. Change leadership creates an environment where everyone contributes to change. Cran says today's effective leader is not an autocrat but a mentor who asks powerful questions and genuinely invests in others' growth. As Cran noted, the best mentors are not threatened by others' potential — they are excited by it, even if it means their mentee might one day become their boss.
3. Shared leadership is possible once change resistance is addressed. In a traditional hierarchical model, the leader is supposed to have all the answers. However, shared leadership empowers everyone to become a change leader regardless of title.

These philosophies require leaders to be thoughtful about when to lead from the front, when to step back, and when to pivot. The things that worked for me and my leadership style 10 years ago, for example, were vastly different from the approaches I use today. 

With the growth and transformational journey of Cummins Inc. in mind, I have pivoted from a focus on corporate adaptability to a focus on people — a human-centered approach. Watch the full webinar to gain insights on how to cultivate change and adaptability in individuals, while leading with humanity in times of change.