Season 5 - Episode 1 - Change Management in 2026

In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese unpacks one of the most misunderstood debates in the change profession: whether change management should be considered a process or not. Drawing on 20+ years of real-world experience, she explains why process creates certainty, builds trust, and enables better outcomes — especially in complex, reactive environments. You’ll learn: Why deferring to the change process can assist change practitioners to create clarity The 4-stage change model that works in real organisations How documentation can help with clarity How to use AI ethically to support change Why who you are being matters as much as what you do If you work in projects, transformation, or continuous improvement programs this episode will change how you approach change.

What will change management look like in 2026 when Technology change is front and centre more than ever? In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores how AI, culture, and continuous transformation are reshaping organisations and why change capability is becoming a mandatory leadership skill. Perfect for project professionals and corporate support roles who want to influence better, lead change confidently, and perform at the next level.  This year, if you ever doubted whether having change leadership, change management or influential change skills were of value, we will see those who invest in developing these skills flourish. If you are understanding the urgency and want to avoid the frustration of introducing change that doesn't land, then come to www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to develop core change skills that will serve you in any role.

Change isn’t something you do, it's an experience. In this episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores why engagement rhythms, governance forums, and everyday interactions shape how change is experienced and adopted. Understanding and leveraging these rhythms should be part of your change management, change sponsorship and change leadership strategy. You’ll learn: Why engagement is about commitment, not communication How cadence and rhythm influence momentum The hidden role governance plays in trust and clarity Why stakeholder hierarchy still matters How to design engagement that scales Perfect for project managers, change practitioners, and corporate professionals who want to influence change more effectively with the best approach. Like what you hear? Subscribe, and come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com  

Welcome to Season 5 of Next Level Change Success, a podcast dedicated to covering all things related to Change Management, Change Leadership and influencing behavioural and cultural change in organisations. In this first episode of 2026, Therese Pares covers the predicted themes this year that will have an influence on your organisations ability to change fast. Whether it be change capacity, change capability or external influences and Artificial Intelligence, all organisations will require change management skills to be developed and embraced to be able to respond to the demands in 2026.  If 2026 is the year to get serious and upskill in Change Management, Change leadership or being able to introduce new ways of working into your organisation, then come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com  

Sure, it is hard to choose a favourite Episode of 2025, but Therese Pares chooses her favourite with an important message. Ensure your change is inclusive. Change Management is a practice which you get better at, with time, and with more awareness about differences, the challenges of managing or leading change well increase. However using some of the basic principles outlined in this episode you can achieve better results with any change you introduce.   Like what you hear? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com and upskill in change management, change leadership or introducing change in a 'business as usual' context in an organisation.

We are almost at the end of the year. Season 4 is almost complete and we have covered many, many aspects of Change Management, Change Leadership, Change Intelligence. We have talked about Change Management Frameworks, engagement models, Change Management approaches and different types of Change. And there was one Episode which had more listens than any other. The topic - Change Resilience. And here it is again, in case you missed it! As we are almost at year end I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for listening this year.

In this Episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese covers the opportunity that the end of the year presents to you from a change management, change leadership or even general leadership perspective. The more observational you are about your people, how your team are feeling, the more you can manage organisational change capacity next year in line with cycles and sentiment. Like what you hear about change management, change leadership and influencing for change? Then come and visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to develop your change skills in a practical, smart and cost-effective way.

In this Episode of Next Level Change Success, Therese explores all of the aspects of Change Sponsorship. It is such a critical aspect of change management and change strategy, yet in the planning you can get it so wrong. Are you clear on who the Change Sponsors need to be? Are you aware of the challenges of leading and being the voice of the change? Are you underestimating or overestimating change leadership capabilities of your Change Sponsors? All of these questions are answered in this episode. Want to know more about change leadership and change management? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to find out more.

In this episode we explore the wise words of a Fortune 500 CEO, who talked about the pace of organisational change. Yes, while the CEO may not have used those words, his insights into advice provided to them drew connections to many of the themes explored this year by My Virtual Change Manager. So have a listen about the pacing of change and how leaders and Executives can cripple the organisations or teams they lead if they don't develop their change intelligence well. Like what you hear? Subscribe or come to myvirtualchangemanager.com for more about change management, change leadership and influencing for change.

In this Episode, Therese covers the areas to really focus on when it comes to the call for 'Communications' regarding the change you are looking to introduce into an organisation. While this is a shorter episode, this is because it is just as succinct and focused as your activities need to be. There are three things to do to get your communications up and running and for it to be effective. Communication, when it comes to change management is like a leg on a stool - without this leg the change will be fundamentally compromised. So have a listen and discover these three areas and then reflect on whether your change communications is fit for purpose. Like what you hear? Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com