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wHolistic Change - Michelle Smeby

Breaking News: The Tenacious Leader

Published 2 months ago • 1 min read

And the title is....

Thank you to everyone who voted in my title poll last month! I received valuable and unexpected feedback:

  • Of the options I gave you, the majority chose "An Executive's Map to Change"
  • Not everyone sees themselves as an executive. Some of you with non-executive titles feel my book will give you helpful skills, regardless of your role in your organization
  • My Revisions Editor advised me that I have to love my title, as it is permanent and I will live with it for a long time... to be honest, I wasn't in love with the options I gave you. They were fine, but didn't excite me...

While brainstorming what words would attract my attention and brand my new book, I realized that the theme is tenacity. To become the best leader of change requires perseverance, resilience, and the will power to continue through being vulnerable, developing new skills, and handling the ever present resistance to change.

I am pleased to announce that my new book is titled The Tenacious Leader: Your Map to Overcome Change Fatigue.

I kept the map theme that you overwhelming preferred, while adding the real reason for the book: how to overcome the change fatigue that the majority of employees (and managers, and executives) are feeling.

Thank you, dear community, for weighing in and helping me land on a title that I love and that I hope you do, too!

Revisions Are Well Underway

As we start 2026, I continue the revision process to improve my book's content and clarity. In addition, I started working with a cover designer. This is the first mockup from a 1/2 hour brainstorming session

Coming Soon: Cover Art

Here's another mockup of my book cover from that brainstorming session. As ideas are refined, I will share them for voting on the cover you think best captures your attention and makes you want to pick up this book!

Stay tuned for next month's newsletter when I will share my promotional video for The Tenacious Leader. Stay safe, and Happy New Year!

Michelle Smeby is Transformation Leader at wHolistic Change, Inc, with 25 years of experience leading sustainable business and technology transformations. She has led global changes in 70 countries spanning 5 continents and 17 time zones.

As a public speaker, Michelle regularly presents at professional conferences on overcoming resistance to change, leadership, and change agent skills.

wHolistic Change - Michelle Smeby

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