Change vs. Evolution: A mindset that makes a difference | On Connection

Change is a near-constant part of life, leadership, and organizational management today. There are endless books, articles, frameworks, and best practices on the subject, and yet change is still one of the things organizations struggle to manage the most. We’ve found that it isn’t actually enough to simply change. Instead, we think a mindset focused on evolution is more valuable.

So, why evolution rather than change? What’s the difference, and why does it matter? In this episode, Emma Rose is joined by Anne Murray Allen and Krista Spence, both Senior Consultants with experience leading, managing, and studying change. They talk about this distinction and what it means to adopt an evolution mindset.

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January 19, 2022

Guest Bios: 

Anne Murray Allen 

Anne is a senior consultant and Board member at Conversant and previously a Global Partner. Anne’s career working in organizations has been both as an insider and as a consultant to large multi-national organizations. She is a systems-thinker who has had bottom-line experience in a variety of organizational functions. Anne has taught graduate level management classes and has presented at conferences around the world. She has authored and co-authored a number of articles in organizational performance and been published in a variety of journals over the last 15 years. She is a past recipient of an American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) Torch Award.

During her tenure at HP, Anne served in several executive positions within the company including assignments leading knowledge management, strategic planning, culture integration (HP/Compaq), manufacturing production, and IT. Since joining Conversant her clients have included Lockheed-Martin, The Nature Conservancy, The Cornell Lab or Ornithology, and The Port of Portland.

Today her major area of focus is in helping organizations partner across sectors and different operations to effectively engage multiple stakeholders. She has deep practice and knowledge in helping her clients build authentic collaboration across boundaries, especially when they are facing complex challenges where uncertainty is high and alignment to shared purpose and outcomes is necessary for meaningful action to occur.

Anne has an undergraduate degree in psychology, an MBA, and a DSocSci. In her downtime, you will find Anne enjoying time with her family. She enjoys most outdoor activities but especially hiking, camping, riding horses, canoeing, and skiing.

“My primary interest has always been in understanding how seemingly ordinary people come together to create extraordinary results. Something magical happens when we connect to what it means to be human in our organizations and we discover the energy, spirit, and creativity in working together in new and exciting ways.”

Krista Spence

Krista brings over 20 years of leadership experience to her role as consultant and executive coach.  Her first-hand experience working and leading teams in fortune 500 companies in financial services and retail industries contributes to her strong understanding of the challenges leaders face today. As a senior leader of organizational development and talent development functions in global roles, she has focused the majority of her career on leadership and team development.

Krista believes one of the biggest challenges that leaders face is their ability to be self-aware and fully embrace their own natural leadership style. As a coach, her approach is to help leaders tap into their unique strengths and increase their results through alignment of values, purpose, and presence. She has a passion for helping people connect deeply with their sense of purpose and find the joy that comes with leading authentically.

Given her love for research and natural curiosity about human behavior, Krista often loses track of time when reading about neuroscience, mind-body connection, and mindfulness. She infuses her research into her work with teams and leaders, helping leaders to focus on their overall wellbeing.

While she enjoys traveling, her roots are in Northern California where she was born and lives today with her husband and two daughters. When she’s is not working or researching, you’ll find her outside hiking, trail running, or walking the family dog and communing with nature.

Mentioned in the Episode: