Jennifer Bryan is a Managing Director, TEDx Speaker and published author behind Leading People in Change, an essential guidebook on change management and leadership. Consisting of 24 unique case studies conducted over a decade, it is an invaluable and illuminating read for any leader looking to bring out the best in their team. What We Reading sat down with Jennifer to talk about everything from the work behind the book, the supportive influences growing up to her love for C.S. Lewis!
Thanks for speaking with us, Jennifer! First off, tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to the world of writing.
I am a TEDx speaker, published author and Managing Director of Leading Change at ABChange Consultancy, which is my own company. Before I got into business, I was a professional dancer, predominately ballet and I still love to dance. I live in London with my husband and two children, although my eldest has just gone off to University.
I specialize in helping people and organisations in leading change and have had the privilege of working with over 40 different companies, such as Microsoft, Technicolor Creative Studios, CBRE, KPMG, Gartner and Mott MacDonald to name a few.
I am Vice President of the Association of Change Management Professionals in the UK and volunteer at the local food bank.
After I finished my Masters dissertation, I knew I wanted to share my research with the world, so I wrote an article about it in a professional journal, and you could say, that is where and when I got the writing bug.
Talk to us about Leading People in Change. What is it about, and how was the process of bringing it to life?
When I was studying for my Masters, I was coaching a lot of Senior Civil Servants and many of them would come to me and say, “Yeah, Jennifer, I know all about Kotter, but what the heck do I do with this thing on my desk?”
I knew then I wanted to answer that question, which the ABChange model does and that is what the book is about. How the model came about and most importantly, how it has been used. I share the good, the bad and the ugly of the model’s use in 24 different case studies. It took 10 years to obtain that number of case studies, so I share a good deal of the insight I gained throughout those years, as well, resulting in the book giving the readers a practical guide on how best to lead people in change.
So many books on change management are really long and highly academic. Leading People in Change cuts through all that. The aim was for a line manager who is about to get on a train to London from Manchester to lead a meeting with their team on change and they have no idea what to do. So, they walk into a WHSmith at the station and scour the change books and find Leading People in Change and decide to buy it. By the time they exit the train in London, they have finished the book and now know exactly what to do in that meeting.
What is the number one goal you want your work to have with readers?
I want my readers to be able to learn and apply the learning and experiences I share with them, so they can lead their people successfully in change.
That may sound trite, but many people find change to be really tricky, scary, frustrating and challenging; on the leading side, as well as on the receiving end. So, I want them to feel confident and comfortable in how they help people through change because it is a story or a journey. The question really is and should be, what story do you want to share and how do you want to travel. And I use the word share very specifically because change is not a one-man band activity, even if it is a personal and individual change.
We still need the people around us to support us in the change. Take losing weight, for example – if the house is full of the chocolate and crisps I really like, then I don’t know about you, but the chances of me not eating them is tiny. So I need my loved ones to not buy them, so I don’t eat them. In other words, I need their support to help my individual change and that is the case in all change.
What do you think makes you stand out as an author?
I think what makes me stand out is I am very personable and happy to speak and help whoever I can. I am not shy and if I see something is right or wrong, then I will say it. I can talk to people on a 1 on 1 basis, as well as, on a 1 on 100 basis. I am open, honest a very good communicator. I am also very big on learning – I love to go and experience different events in the hope of learning something new either about myself, others or the world.
I do not feel I am the guru of all information and I think through questioning we all learn a good deal. So when I meet people and they ask my advice or guidance, I first ask a load of questions because then we all take ownership on what we discover are the possible answers. That is why coaching is such a successful growth tactic.
What would you say has been your biggest success so far?
Wow, that is a challenging question and a difficult one to answer. Is it surviving giving birth, when my heart stopped 7 times on the operating table due to an amniotic embolism? Is it when I was leading a change programme for a client that was highly impactful and successful for all the people involved? Is it when my book got published? Is it when I did my TEDx talk?
I really am not sure what is my biggest success. But what I can say, is that I have been very lucky to have lots of different types of successes, so far, in my life and I hope there are many more to come.
If you could go back in time to one book you read for the first time, what would it be and why?
Ohhh, I think that would be “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis and the reason is twofold: one because it really took my imagination to a different level that I had not experienced before with books as I was a child and I think only 8 years old at the time. Secondly, it would be because it was my Nana (my father’s mother) who first read it to us kids on holiday, as our bedtime story and I loved my Nana. I can still sometimes hear her voice in my head, but I would so love to hear it and hear her read the story in real life again – that would be magical!
What’s one tip you would give your younger self if you had the opportunity?
Wow – again a big question. I had a challenging childhood, as I grew up in a very sexist environment and was reminded most days how my thoughts and voice were not relevant. I was lucky enough to have a couple of teachers that taught me otherwise and somehow had a real warrior spirit so fought against being “shut up” at most opportunities. It was very difficult, so I guess the tip I would give is to not give up and surround yourself with as many supportive people as often as you can.
Learn to use different ways to express yourself and explore writing more as that might have helped, whilst I was growing up. I danced and I used my verbal voice, but did not harness my writing voice as a young person – that came much later in life and maybe that would have helped more.
And finally, what do you hope the future holds for you and your writing?
I am in the process of writing book number two and hope to finish it in the near future. I contributed a chapter, “Leading Change in an Unpredictable World,” in an academic book earlier in 2023. So, I would really like to be able to share the writings more through book tours to organisations and Universities/colleges. I think the knowledge and experiences I bring from working over 20 years with over 40 different organisations on leading change can really help others tackle their change challenges.
Be sure to follow Jennifer and all of her work on her website, LinkedIn or Instagram
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
