When Strategy Meets Humanity: Leading Through Real Change

Elizabeth Lepkowski: [: 00:00:00

when you come in and make too much change too quickly and you haven't brought along all the stakeholders and the community base then you've kind of lost the soul of the organization. And so the identity of, we've changed everything then what is the purpose of this organization now from.

You know, On paper and from a business standpoint, there were certain things that had to happen and happen pretty quickly, but from an outside viewer, customer, community member, they didn't understand why things were happening and why did they happen so quickly. So it's like we took the identity. Away from why the organization existed.

is how they perceived it. I [: 00:01:00

To the purpose of why they're involved in the organization. I think that's really essential because I think that impacts how and when you make decisions.

Alexa Beavers: Organizations aren't struggling today because they lack strategy. They're struggling because we keep trying to transform systems without tending to the humans inside them. What if the hardest part of business transformation isn't strategy speed or execution, but learning how to get results without losing your humanity along the way?

who are tuckered out, tired, [: 00:02:00

And when we forget that the very results we're chasing start to erode. In this episode, I'm joined by Elizabeth Lukowski, a leader operating at the intersection of strategy, learning, and human impact to explore how leaders navigate urgency and humanity because real transformation happens in that tension.

Elizabeth Leow serves as Chief Learning Officer, where she provides vision and innovative leadership across multiple function areas, including education programs, products, and events for domestic and local and global communities. Her work spans accreditation standards, clinical practice guidelines, and consensus statements.

aligned with organizational [: 00:03:00

Elizabeth, so lovely to have you here today.

Elizabeth Lepkowski: thank you for having me.

Alexa Beavers: Yeah, we're delighted to have you. We had the benefit of an earlier conversation, so I am so excited. Just to dive right in to some of the glimpses of your earlier career life, maybe seven years ago, that we started to talk about. Are you ready to dive in and tell me about that time in your career that maybe was a little bit unpredictable or messy?

up for me and I thought this [: 00:04:00

It looked like there was gonna be a lot Great opportunities to really put my footprint on a lot of change. Make a really big impact. And when I came on board, I realized how difficult it was going to be. It was quite eye-opening. That it was going to be much messier than what I had anticipated.

Alexa Beavers: I think this is really great. You've got me very like on the edge of my seat and I'm gonna keep our listeners a little bit on the edge of their seat. One of the things I really appreciate about what you were doing is painting a picture of how excited you were to be able to have a voice, have a seat at the table, be involved in decisions in this new organization.

Tell me a little bit about. Why that matters to you.

Elizabeth Lepkowski: to [: 00:05:00

And so it was something that I really wanted to do at some point in my career. And when I stepped into this role seven years ago, I really thought, wow, I, this is, I'm ready for this. This is what I've worked so hard for the last couple of decades. I've I've had the right experience.

I'm ready for this. And then you realize when you get there. It's not at all what you think it is many times.

and you're like, okay, this [: 00:06:00

This isn't what I expected. So paint a picture of that part.

Elizabeth Lepkowski: I think, those that really feel that they're called into leadership, I really think it's a calling. You don't just end up there accidentally. Have a visual. A visual picture for yourself of where you wanna be in your future career. And felt like maybe this is it.

Maybe this is my final stop and where I'm really gonna be happy and really be able to accomplish everything I really wanna accomplish in my career goals. And then I found out very quickly that. That visual picture that I had for myself it was gonna be much harder than what I thought it was going to

u went in, you had this idea [: 00:07:00

Tell me what the things were that you wanted to be able to do in that role. And then the clues that started to say, this is a big uphill climb.

t by the wayside in a way in [: 00:08:00

And that was a very personal conflict that I had to have a very internal conflict that I with myself. And how do I balance driving business decisions and business change to meet the goals of the organizations versus, having empathy for people, for staff, for committee members and how do you hold those relationships after decisions ha have to be made?

Alexa Beavers: It sounds to me like you highly value human beings in service of the mission and you in your way of working. You said people first, work second, and when you came in, you started to unpack your, the goals that were right there in front of you, what you were called in to do, and you're like, wow, this might fly in the face of my values.

Is that right?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: that [: 00:09:00

I think a lot of the organizational There, there were good reasons why some of goals had to be made, decisions had to be made, but organizations are much more than just business decisions, spreadsheets, budgets when you're going to be part of a major organizational transformation you are given a very tight.

Deadline to make some major decisions and come up with new plans and processes. You really ha you really don't have time to really understand the deep rooted culture that exists in that particular organization.

ybe against how you chose to [: 00:10:00

And the things that you needed to work on were. With tight timeframes and the culture, you had no idea what it really meant there. Is that right?

e and its needs. when you're [: 00:11:00

Why things need to change. I think that was, very, very stressful and and very difficult for us as a C-suite.

u are facing this giant task [: 00:12:00

Elizabeth Lepkowski: my first week of work I flew with my CEO, my boss to a medical institution where some of key opinion leaders were. And it was kind of to help be part of my onboarding, to really understand where some of our key opinion leaders thoughts were and things like that.

And I started to kind of understand during that trip. Part of this was to help me understand them so I could rapidly help make some major decisions. And that was my first week, and then it was within the next week or so, unveiled to me that I was only gonna have between about six to eight more weeks.

bout really transforming the [: 00:13:00

Helps with team building and to help with staff development and things like that. And I realized there just wasn't going to be enough time to prioritize those kinds of things and my leadership style, that was really gonna have to shift very, very quickly in order to help meet the organizational goals.

nt to your organization, key [: 00:14:00

six to

eight weeks

to

Really overhaul everything about the way people get work done here.

And that's really personal to people, and you're highly valuing, Hey, I wanna have some empathy here. I wanna get to know what is happening. As you were faced with this, what were your, what thoughts ran through your mind about how you would do it?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: do Well, the other caveat is, we're a remote organization, and as a new staff leader, you can't even get in the same conference room with your department and have a team meeting in person.

, and Zoom did still exist in: 2018

Do they have the talent? Do they have the capacity to learn new things and new processes? Are they going to be a barrier to the change? And I think what was really difficult asking these very difficult questions. The staff were still a little bit hesitant, little scared,

Alexa Beavers: like what

the tiptoeing.

Elizabeth Lepkowski: I'm new. Yes. I'm new. They're not sure they should trust me yet. They're still getting to know me. And here I'm asking all of these difficult questions, but having to. Be personable enough that they get comfortable with me to answer certain questions, honestly. That was very difficult.

o do that very, very quickly [: 00:16:00

Alexa Beavers: And I almost imagine that you were carrying the knowledge that you were engaging with these people, but they didn't know that those that was on the horizon. Is that true?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: true? It That's absolutely true. Yeah.

Alexa Beavers: What was that like?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: I didn't sleep much for two months. It just, it was, very difficult. it know, I knew coming in there I was being prompted during kind of the interview and recruitment process that there was a lot of major change that was going.

To be happening. I just didn't have any sense of how or what, or timelines and exactly what my role would be. Of course, that some of that's kept confidential during that recruitment process. But it became very clear within a very short period of time,

Alexa Beavers: When they opened the door, they opened it wide didn't they?

And you think about, okay, I [: 00:17:00

And then those hanging question marks on I'm not sure this will work, but this is probably the lowest risk. So this is what we can give a try.

Alexa Beavers: I love that.

You know,

u said, okay, what do I have?[: 00:18:00

What do I know? What resources can I tap into? What? What allowed you have the awareness to even go there? I.

Elizabeth Lepkowski: there's a couple I have a couple female close friends, colleagues that have also been in the business, the same industry for a long time. Have to lean on 'cause you can't talk to many people internally. And so you have to lean on that couple of people that you know have been there through a lot of your career and they've experienced a lot of things being open to sharing a little bit confidentially and letting them, help.

me what to do, but they help [: 00:19:00

Yeah, you. I think that's a huge thing for a lot of folks, a lot of, and especially people that are highly Successful. We really value the ability to be independent, but you are carrying a huge load of information that is heavy emotionally. And it sounds like you found support in some of your friends that could allow you, they didn't always solve the problem for you.

Nobody has all the answers, but they let you process it.

e of, trusted colleagues and [: 00:20:00

Alexa Beavers: So you got by one, focusing on what you had at your disposal, not what you didn't, and then also really tapping into your close inner circle and who you built some credibility with. 'cause you're not just gonna be like the sky is falling. You take some time. And when you seek their input, they know that they are there to really give it.

Elizabeth Lepkowski: Yes.

Alexa Beavers: I know a lot of folks that struggle to ask for help. How is it for you to ask for help of those folks?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: in probably my earlier career, I thought asking for help, had a different, I had a very different perspective on it. I thought, you know, that means I don't know what to do. I'm somehow not. Adequate or something like that. And I think now raising your hand and asking for help and saying, I need to process this.

with me, is actually taking [: 00:21:00

I've really changed my position on things like that over the years.

Alexa Beavers: I think it's really amazing because I've never heard anyone say seeking. Help means taking ownership of the problem, ownership of your feelings, and then you can find, if you can take ownership of those. I'm hearing that. And engage others. You can find the way because oftentimes we think there's a solution there and you said no, there's many routes.

conversation where you were [: 00:22:00

Elizabeth Lepkowski: I definitely think so. A couple of major lessons learned is any change management strategy is. The need really communicate and over communicate. Just because you do one email, one media alert, one staff meeting doesn't mean people have really processed all the change.

ully bringing them along and [: 00:23:00

Explaining our why over and over is something that I think we need it, we should have done much more. Of, looking back seven years ago, six years ago, and all of the change we made in a short period of time, I think the cultural and emotional connection to That our members had, our stakeholders, had, our leadership had to the way [00:24:00] things were done for decades, basically. I think we totally underestimated the need to have many more listening sessions. Have many more communications and meetings to explain what change needed to happen and when to help bring people along.

neral, understanding so much [: 00:25:00

Alexa Beavers: I love that you said this, and I also think some people may have one view of empathy when you say.

Elizabeth Lepkowski: say

Alexa Beavers: I think putting empathy in for the stakeholders, for the culture, for the community, for what was important to people. How would you describe empathy without using the word empathy?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: that's a hard one, but I would say, The feedback that we got from our community members that weren't necessarily close to all the decisions and why decisions were made. I think, for them we were taking away the identity the organization that they loved for many years.

nd so the identity of, we've [: 00:26:00

You know, On paper and from a business standpoint, there were certain things that had to happen and happen pretty quickly, but from an outside viewer, customer, community member, they didn't understand why things were happening and why did they happen so quickly. So it's like we took the identity. Away from why the organization existed.

And so it's like we gutted the soul of the organization is how they perceived it. I would say that is a real key thing for any leader that is really gonna have to help be part of a major cultural transformation or organizational transformation, that really understanding the connection that all your stakeholders have.

nvolved in the organization. [: 00:27:00

Alexa Beavers: What I'm picking up is that empathy creates cohesion during a time of tough change. Whereas if you don't have it, things

Elizabeth Lepkowski: don't have

Alexa Beavers: can fall apart.

the relationships within the organization to the identity and my connection with this place that I've grown and loved. And now what I think that what I'm hearing is empathy creates cohesion and connection.

If you can work it into your formula there.

for any leaders going into a [: 00:28:00

Alexa Beavers: I think your message touches a lot of. of,

Any leader that's excited to move into a new role, try to make big change, and then you come in and you start to see more clearly because you're experiencing it. You had the added challenge of being a remote organization. I, that's a whole nother podcast we could do, but nonetheless, I think that what I'm picking up is, there's a ton of lessons here.

One, focus on what you have. Seek support from your close circle. Now you're saying, Hey, maybe I would've even expanded my circle of support with some experts in culture change. That could be my partners here. Really communicating and communicating in a way that isn't just an email alert. But a way that helps people to process the why process their relationship with the change.

Just an alert doesn't mean check. We're done with this communication thing.

ds out to me is bringing the [: 00:29:00

Elizabeth Lepkowski: That's very, that's a very good summary

Alexa Beavers: so let me ask you this. You said it, if I had a magic wand, I would have. Now it's seven years later, and I'm sure you're doing things differently because of all the things you learned. How has this fast forwarded your leadership, your career, your impact on others?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: the good thing we've come a long way with bringing all the key stakeholders along. I think there's still couple a little areas that we are working on. But I think a lot of the initial angst has definitely subsided because we learned.

trategies were also a little [: 00:30:00

But the good thing is we have done a lot. Of deep work to bring former stakeholders back to the table and back into the fold. And have had to some real recon and outreach to, bring people back and really doing a better job with communicating a lot of why change occurred.

And I think now a lot of our community members are. Much more happy with some of the changes. You know, They've had time to process and see the upgrades and the improvements we've made and we're able financially to do a lot more for community members. So they're very happy about that, about some of the new.

o bring in house and be able [: 00:31:00

Alexa Beavers: I imagine there were a lot of moments where you had to tap into what you call deep work, and I usually only hear that in places where we're talking about looking inward at yourself, therapy, big transformational moments in careers, with coaching. What does deep work mean in the context of you all as a leadership team working with this organization?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: I think now when we're thinking about making major changes or thinking about improvements or enhancements to something that we're currently doing, we think about the stakeholders how are they going to react?

ber champions to help? Bring [: 00:32:00

And so I think that a shift that we're able to do now. And that seems to be pretty effective. And we also use words If we're thinking about trying something new we call it a pilot. This isn't an, a forever new program that we're gonna do. We're gonna call it a pilot. So a pilot means if it doesn't go well, then we don't do it again.

t. Business approach when we [: 00:33:00

Alexa Beavers: when I hear you describing deep work as a communication strategy, I like that you deep into that because what you're doing is looking beyond the headlines and the task list of your change and tapping into. Your networks network. Who are the important people that could help us here? Who are the champions?

That will be good listeners, that will be good reinforcers of the why, and maybe even give us some insight as to how people are feeling because they'll engage differently than we would and then. That's a big move for deep work. But I think what I'm hearing is also deep work can be in little actions, like changing how you think about making changes by using the word pilot and really living by that.

That's cool.

is, this is a very emotional [: 00:34:00

And so spending time fi, figuring out who are gonna be the champions, who are the KOLs, we need to bring on board. You know who are gonna be our early adopters and then who are who potentially could be our naysayers because running a new idea or a change by them helps us understand how everyone else is gonna react.

And so being prepared for both sides who are gonna be the early adapters and are gonna help us versus also preparing for how to respond to those that we know are probably going to be a little bit harder to bring on

you're building a movement. [: 00:35:00

Elizabeth Lepkowski: key Opinion leaders.

Alexa Beavers: Awesome. Now one of the things I would, I always love to ask people who have been there, done that and weathered the storm is what advice would you give to somebody about 15 years earlier in their career that might have, might face similar challenges?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: I would definitely say don't be afraid to have an inner circle. That are a small group of individuals that you can lean on and trust and build that early because eventually you're going to need them. If you're going to go into any type of leadership role. You're gonna find out really quickly.

lly good place to go to have [: 00:36:00

Hey Elizabeth, you're totally wrong on this. this is not okay for you to do. You know, It's okay to have people like that in your life. And I think finding who those people could be early is I think really essential. 'cause those are the people that are gonna help you get where you need to be later in life.

And I'd also say, with no risk, there is no reward. And so this was definitely a risk for me to go from a much larger organization, didn't have a whole lot of change. I knew there was going to be some risk going into an organization that I knew was going to go through a lot of organizational change.

ned a lot. And if I would've [: 00:37:00

Alexa Beavers: I love that you said, okay. Don't be afraid to take the risk, and also don't be afraid to have your network of your small circle of support and advisors and make 'em before you need 'em. I think those are, they go hand in hand, don't they? Yeah. Elizabeth, where can people find you if they wanna learn more or connect with you?

Elizabeth Lepkowski: I'm on, Twitter and LinkedIn, Elizabeth Ball Lukowski.

Alexa Beavers: We'll put all that contact information in the show notes. Don't hesitate to connect with Elizabeth if you would love to learn more about how she works and the great work she's doing in her organization. If you liked this episode, I encourage you to subscribe or like it. And also listen to some of our other episodes that feature great leaders who are sharing a little bit what happens before everything looks so perfect and tidy.

and I'm so grateful for you, [: 00:38:00