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wHolistic Change - Michelle Smeby

Make Change Happen September Insight

Published 3 months ago • 1 min read

Why did I write a second book?

Executives need to do more than approve a budget and perhaps send a few emails saying the work needs to happen.

They need to know how to lead change.

I was so pleased with the response to my first book with my co-author, Patty Stolpman, wHolistic Change: Delivering Corporate Change That Lasts. Whenever I engage with a new client, I give copies of that book to my sponsors and the senior executives recommending they read Chapter 4: Obtain a Sponsor.

I tell executives to read that chapter because my efforts in developing and implementing their corporate changes can only go so far. Whatever improvement drove them to hire me, lasting change can only happen if they, too, are willing to adjust their leadership styles.

Not only do most executives not read the chapter, I learned through experience that senior leaders' expectations of what it means to be a leader does not match what a change team needs from them.

Why I Wrote "Make Change Happen"

My new book coming in 2026 addresses this gap. It includes the critical skills all leaders need to support their organizations through change.

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Who Should Read It?

This book is for people managers, executives, and people who have been named as sponsors for any type of change in their organizations: mergers and acquisitions, culture, technology, process improvement, employee morale…

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Why Read It?

Change is a constant. Your people are exhausted. You owe it to your team to read this book because nobody else can make change happen but you.

Stay tuned for next month's newsletter when I will share an excerpt from my new book and some feedback I've received from my beta readers, the first people to read the book in its entirety and provide feedback to make it better before I publish.

In the meantime, if you haven't read my first book and are looking for a tactical way to deliver change, follow the link below.

My First Book

If you are looking for an end to end change methodology, this book gives you the information about change agents, how to overcome resistance to change, and decision points to determine if your team is ready to deliver a change that will truly last.

These techniques have been tested and proven across nonprofits, highly regulated (banking, health insurance, fintech), and branded (retail) companies.

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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