I'm Carl, the founder and director of Relationships for Change.
I love connecting people to the joy of learning, and turning that learning into impactful action and purposeful change.
After over 25 years working in local government change and transformation, I have developed a clear understanding of my approach and have learnt what consistently and effectively enables transformation to happen - and the barriers which stop it from happening! This is why I created Relationships for Change. I know that relationships are at the heart of change and want to help you to do what matters by learning what matters.
Expertise:
Key Strengths:
Accolades:
Leading from my HEART
I've always been fascinated by the intricate dance of personal and organisational change. It's a topic that never fails to ignite passionate discussions and leave me pondering long after the conversation has ended.
Recently, I found myself in one of these deep dialogues with a dear friend and collaborator. We dove headfirst into the murky waters of why people believe what they do about change. As our chat meandered through various twists and turns, I was left with a burning question: What do I truly believe about change?
Now, I've attempted to capture my thoughts on this before. Last year, I jotted down some of the influences and learnings that have shaped my perspective on change. But looking back at it now, it feels... incomplete, a classic work in progress post. It feels like I'm merely reciting a list of interesting concepts I've encountered over the years, rather than sharing the essence of what deeply resonates with me.
So, here I am, taking another stab at it. This time, I'm determined to lay bare my authentic beliefs about change - the core principles that guide my work and my life.
For those people that know me, they have told me that I am a very heart oriented person, it is where my energy originates and is centered. So perhaps, it’s no surprise that when I started to work through the things that I believe I found a deep connection to my HEART.
So let me take you through each one - sharing not just what they mean, but how they've shaped my understanding of change and leadership. It’s an attempt to integrate relationship-driven leadership with systemic thinking, with the importance of people, with learning through experience, with adaptability and agility, with transformative change.
Human-Centered
At the very core of my philosophy lies an unwavering focus on people. It means designing and leading systems that understand and respond to the needs, experiences, and aspirations of individuals - both those delivering services and those receiving them. It's about removing the barriers and constraints that unintentionally create a burden on staff and customers. I am passionate about prioritising emotional intelligence and supporting interpersonal skills.
When I talk about being human-centered, I'm not just stating a value; I'm actively creating spaces where every voice matters, where diverse perspectives are not just heard but actively sought out - asking ourselves, how might we be wrong? It means building authentic connections and fostering trust and knowledge sharing.
In my experience, the most powerful changes occur when we recognise the unique needs, values, and experiences of individuals and teams. It's about crafting solutions that resonate on a deeply personal level, that inspire and motivate from within. It’s placing human needs and relationships at the centre, but it isn’t always prioritised or considered important for successful change - and yet I continually hear stories of failed change projects and transformation plans and programmes, change fatigue and change burnout, change being done to people not with them - This is why I believe in being Human-Centered.
A human-centred approach places people at the heart of every change initiative. It recognises the unique needs, values, and experiences of individuals, and it prioritises emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.
Practical Approaches:
Experiential
My approach to change is deeply rooted in the power of experiential learning. I believe that true understanding and growth come not just from theory, but from rolling up our sleeves and diving into the messy reality of change - learning by doing.
When I talk about being experiential, I'm referring to a commitment to learning through action and reflection. It's about creating immersive experiences that allow leaders and teams to engage with challenges firsthand, rather than simply discussing them in the abstract. I remember being on a leadership programme where we solved hypothetical problems and challenges when each participant was wrestling with many problems and challenges back in the workplace - yet the design kept the reality separate from the learning. My goal as a practitioner is to help leaders make those connections between learning and doing.
In practice, this might look like designing pilot projects to test new approaches on a small scale. It involves implementing after-action reviews to capture and surface learning and improve future processes. It's about guiding teams through thoughtful reflection to extract meaningful insights from their experiences.
I've learned that learning isn't a one-time event; it’s a way of being. Growth happens when we engage fully with real-world experiences, bridging the gap between theory and practice. This approach allows for continuous growth and the generation of insights that are both meaningful and actionable. I care deeply about creating opportunities for people to grow through direct experience and self-discovery. It’s where I’ve seen the biggest successes. It's through these hands-on experiences that we often uncover our most profound moments and insights and uncover what might be possible - This is why I believe in being Experiential
The experiential element emphasises learning through action and reflection, allowing for continuous growth and meaningful insights. It involves designing immersive experiences that allow leaders and teams to engage with challenges firsthand.
Practical Approaches:
Adaptive
In my experience, the ability to adapt to our context and changing environment is crucial, in fact it’s very human. I champion flexibility and continuous change as key components of effective change leadership.
Being adaptive means developing mindsets and practices that build resilience and agility. It's about equipping leaders with the tools to navigate uncertainty and turn challenges into opportunities for growth - helping organisations to cultivate resilience in the face of change.
In practical terms, this might involve implementing agile approaches in suitable projects. It means reframing 'failures' as valuable learning opportunities rather than setbacks. Adaptability is at the heart of this approach, encouraging experimentation as a path to cultivate resilience.
I've seen how this adaptive approach allows organisations to pivot quickly when needed, to learn from mistakes, and to embrace change as an opportunity rather than a threat. It's about fostering a culture where continuous adaptation is not just accepted, but celebrated - This is why I believe in being Adaptive.
Adaptive approaches champion flexibility and continuous evolution in the face of change. They involve helping organisations develop adaptive mindsets and practices to build resilience and agility, equipping leaders with tools to navigate uncertainty and turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
Practical Approaches:
Relational
I’ve learned that true organisational and personal change begins with human connection and then develops and grows through relationships (the relationship to oneself and our relationship with others). This dynamic and interplay results in a change, sometimes planned changes, but also unplanned but very welcome changes.... At the core of my work is the belief that networks of authentic relationships drive sustainable change because “relationships are the foundation of effective leadership, they are the essence of it.”. This means prioritising deep listening and reflection and it means focusing on building and nurturing connections between people, fostering open communication, mutual learning and creating collaborative ecosystems.
When I speak about being relational, I'm talking about helping people understand the power of networks and social capital and how to leverage it for positive transformation. Strong relationships and trust are the foundation of any successful change effort. It can mean fostering spaces where every voice matters, where diverse perspectives are not just heard but actively sought out - asking ourselves, whose voice or perspective is missing here?
This can be achieved through cross-departmental projects that promote knowledge sharing and diverse perspectives. The goal is to foster a culture of collaboration and shared purpose.
Being relational also means understanding how relationships drive organisational culture and change. It's about creating spaces where people feel safe to share their ideas, concerns and perspectives, actively listening to understand their unique contributions, and using these insights to shape the direction of change - This is why I believe in being Relational.
Relational thinking underscores the belief that authentic relationships drive sustainable change. This involves focusing on building trust, fostering open communication, and nurturing genuine connections.
Practical Approaches:
Transformative
I’m passionate about facilitating deep, meaningful changes that go beyond surface-level fixes to create lasting, systemic impact.
Being transformative means guiding leaders to question fundamental assumptions and mental models. It involves creating safe spaces for leadership teams to voice concerns and ideas without fear, and encouraging them to bring forward unpopular but necessary topics for discussion. Ultimately, it’s about being courageous enough to shift power dynamics.
In our modern world, we can’t ignore the important role digital innovation has in enabling transformation and disruptive business models. I focus on aligning digital innovation with human needs. I also believe systems thinking/systems change principles are critical to help us understand, navigate and address the complex interdependencies within organisations and their broader ecosystems.
My goal is to help organisations evolve in profound and enduring ways. This means looking beyond quick fixes to address root causes and create systemic change. It involves shifting power dynamics, changing mindsets and habits, and reshaping relationships to ensure that change is deep, lasting, and fundamentally human - This is why I believe in being Transformative.
The transformative element seeks to create lasting change by facilitating deep, meaningful transformations that go beyond surface-level fixes.
Practical Approaches:
By fostering environments where people can thrive, innovate, and find genuine fulfillment in their contributions to a larger purpose, we create transformations that don't just work, but that resonate, inspire, and endure in our increasingly complex and interconnected world.
Leading from our HEART - Human-centered, Experiential, Adaptive, Relational, and Transformative - forms the core of my philosophy on change. It's an invitation to lead from a place of authenticity, connection, and continuous growth. It's about creating change that doesn't just work, but that resonates, inspires, and endures.
If you are interested in building a relationship, lets talk.
Legal Stuff
Relationships for Change is a registered limited company: number 15829087
The registered company office address:
First Floor Lipton House, Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom, LU7 4QQ
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