By Kevin Hunter

August 18, 2025

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Introduction

Great change isn’t powered by processes alone—it’s powered by people who believe in

where you’re going. A change-ready culture is one where leaders can look their

colleagues in the eye, and see trust reflected back. Trust that the intent is right. Trust

that we are about growth, productivity, and prosperity. Trust that we will help customers,

and in doing so, uplift the community.

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The Leader’s First Step: Foreshadowing the Future

Change management starts before the first meeting. It starts with

foreshadowing—painting a vivid picture of the future so people know what’s coming and

why it matters. Neuroscience tells us the human brain is wired for self-protection. Our

fight-or-flight instinct often pushes back against the unknown. To engage the thinking

part of the brain, leaders must ask questions.

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Questions that open possibilities include:

• What if we became the leader in our market?
• What if we could help customers with a product that transforms their success?
• What if our success meant doing better in the community?

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The Most Influential Voice in Change

In any transformation, the person employees listen to most is their direct manager, not

the CEO, not the corporate email, but the person they report to every day. This means

the success of any change depends on equipping managers with the tools to lead

conversations, answer questions, and keep the vision alive.

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Every manager should have:

• A personal elevator speech about why the change matters
• Clear messages about benefits to:
  
  • The manager themselves
  • The customer
  • The employee
• A routine check-in process to ensure each employee can tell their own version of why the change matters

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Making a Change Stick

Change sticks when it moves from a presentation slide into daily conversations.

Leaders set the tone and vision, but managers make it real in the lives of their team

members. Successful change leaders focus on embedding the message, not just

announcing it.

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To make change last:

1. Foreshadow the future with compelling questions.
2. Equip managers with personal, authentic elevator speeches.
3. Ensure every employee can tell their own story.

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Closing Thought

Transformation isn’t just about operational shifts—it’s about building a shared belief in

the future. If you can win hearts and minds, you can change systems, products, and

even industries. Start by asking the right questions and watch your culture step into the

future—ready, willing, and confident.

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— Kevin

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