More Connected. Less Connection.

Every number in the report was true, and the teams hit their targets every cycle. But the program was still struggling.Todd Kiddoo, a business transformation leader at Blue Skies Consulting, tells host Kenis Folk what he found when he looked past the numbers, and why a status report can be accurate line by line and still mislead the people making the calls.They get practical about everyone's part in the reporting chain: how to raise a concern without crying wolf, why protecting green can quietly become the goal, and what a hallway conversation can tell you that a dashboard can't.As Todd puts it, reporting is an input into judgment, not a replacement for it.Chapters:(00:00) Intro(01:25) Where your status update goes(03:57) Hitting the count, missing the risk(06:52) Raising a concern you can't prove(08:47) What a hallway conversation revealed(10:16) When the measure becomes the goal(11:33) When protecting green takes over(15:20) What to do differently tomorrowA production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

The future of work isn’t about recreating the workplace of the past. It’s about being more intentional about the relationships, trust, and connection that were earlier developed almost by accident.In this episode, Kenis sits down with Kyle Salter to explore what that looks like in a workplace where technology has made it easier than ever to communicate and collaborate, but where genuine human connection can be harder to build.From self-awareness and active listening to simply showing people that you genuinely care, Kyle and Kenis unpack the human capabilities that help us build stronger relationships in a changing workplace, and why staying connected may require more intention than ever before.A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

A Teams notification sounds. It’s a new request, a tight deadline, and suddenly your weekend plans feel negotiable. Sound familiar?In this episode, Kamal Patel, Partner at Blue Skies Consulting, makes a quietly controversial claim: The grind never ends, but you get to decide when it has your attention. Talking about his early days, where every new client expectation brought in a new panic level, he explains how he has observed why "balance" might be the wrong goal entirely, how the best professionals train themselves to pause before reacting, and why setting boundaries isn't career suicide but a responsible way to build trust. If you've ever said 'sure, I can take that on' while internally screaming, this one's for you. A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

You've seen them. The person who always has the flashiest update in the meeting, but what does all that jargon mean if nothing ever actually moves? Turns out, social media didn't just change how we share our lives but also how we work. And not always for the better. In this episode, Kenis Folk is joined by Chanelle Logan, Senior Manager in BSC's transformation leadership practice, to unpack one of the most uncomfortable truth that most of us already know but won't say out loud, a lot of what passes for "great work" in organizations is just really well-packaged activity. They talk about why the quietest person in the room is often the one actually moving things forward, what it really took for Chanelle to build credibility with clients (hint: it wasn't her resume), when she was new to consultancy, and why being obsessed with how your work looks might be what’s holding you back. Whether you're new and trying to prove yourself, mid-career and feeling the pressure to stay visible, or just exhausted from performing, pull up a chair. A highlight reel is great, but only when it’s paired with the unglamorous stuff you do on a Tuesday when nobody's keeping score.A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

What do the Real Housewives and a corporate ERP rollout have in common? More than you think. In this episode, Kenis Folk sits down with Melissa Parinello, Director in BSC's Change & Adoption practice, to break down what 20+ seasons of reality TV drama actually reveal about human behavior at work. We're talking table-flipping resistance, Sonja Morgan's townhouse as a masterclass in fear of change, and why "let them" might be the most powerful two words in change management. If you've ever watched a stakeholder spiral in a design session and thought "this feels like a Bravo reunion", this one's for you. What you'll take away: Why resistance is rarely about the change itself (and what it's really about) How to read behavior the way a seasoned consultant does The "Let Them" theory and how it plays out on real projects Why trust is the foundation and what happens when it cracks Guilty pleasures, big lessons, zero table-flipping. Let's go!A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

Gen Z is actively avoiding middle management roles, because they view it as a high stress, and low reward position. For many, traditional hierarchical power just doesn’t feel worth the tradeoff. In this episode of Frontline Insights, host Kenis Folk sits down with Jason Vicks, a change leader in Blue Skies’ Change Management and Adoption team, to unpack what this trend really signals and why it’s less about generational rebellion and more about why control-based leadership isn’t working anymore.    Drawing on Jason’s experience of mentoring leaders through complex organizational change, the conversation explores how Gen Z’s language, in essence, mirrors long-standing leadership principles but are just expressed differently. When your new joiner says autonomy, what they mean is empowerment. When they use the term psychological safety, what they actually mean is empathy. What senior leaders sometimes hear as resistance, Jason reframes as a demand for better systems, clearer ownership, and leadership that earns trust rather than assumes it. If you’re navigating generational shifts, struggling to attract future leaders, or questioning why traditional management roles feel increasingly brittle, this conversation offers a sharper way to look at what leadership must become next. Listen now to explore why Gen Z is forcing a leadership reckoning, and what conscious unbossing really demands.  A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

What does a people-first culture actually feel like, especially inside a transformation that’s as complex as a company itself?Heidi Rothbard, VP of People and Culture at Blue Skies, shares how intentionally designed systems keep teams connected and supported as they grow. Her approach treats structure not as bureaucracy but as the backbone of belonging - showing that growth and connection can coexist.She brings that to life through small, lasting practices: walking new hires through the org chart with personal stories, keeping a “blue book” that makes names and connections memorable, and creating a safe-space role that gives people a place to turn without judgment. These aren’t HR programs; they’re the mechanics that make a people-first culture work in practice.Heidi also shares the long game of recruiting - keeping doors open for great people even when timing doesn’t align, building trusted relationships that endure between projects, and recognizing when a standout contractor becomes part of the family.As the firm’s first non-billable hire, Heidi helped Blue Skies grow beyond one region while preserving what mattered most: authenticity, creativity, and a deep bias for relationships over lone heroics.If you’re leading a transformation or building a large program that depends on people staying connected through change, this episode offers a clear playbook: story-driven onboarding, relationship-first recruiting, and structures that make care sustainable.🎧 Listen now to hear how small structural choices make culture something people can actually feel.📄 Bonus: Read Heidi’s article “What Makes a Good Management Consultant” : http://bit.ly/4nw8lt9 A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

“Change works best when no one notices, which makes proving its value harder than it should be.”When change management works, it often disappears. No chaos, no disruption, no delays. And ironically, no recognition. That invisibility makes it one of the hardest investments to measure.In this episode, Pete Hadley, a seasoned change management expert grounded in learning and adoption, shares how he has led business adoption for enterprise programs including S/4HANA deployments and large-scale initiatives in healthcare, energy, and life sciences. He explores how to measure ROI when success looks like smooth adoption, and how to make that value visible to leadership.Pete reflects on the overlooked signals of transformation, how early alignment sets the tone, how adoption shows up in subtle ways day to day, and why the real story often emerges months after go-live. His perspective moves beyond dashboards to the lived experience of teams adjusting, adopting, and ultimately thriving.Listen in to rethink how you measure the ROI of change management and how to make that value clear to leaders.Bonus: Read Pete’s article “Determining the ROI of Change Management”: https://blueskiesconsulting.com/determining-the-roi-of-change-management/A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

“Just because you’re different doesn’t mean you’re broken.” In this episode, Vanessa Schafer, Managing Director at Blue Skies Consulting, joins Frontline Insights to explore the real reasons teams hit friction — and how recognizing patterns in behavior can help you lead with more clarity and connection.With deep experience leading complex transformation programs, Vanessa shares how team dynamics often falter not because of poor tools or planning, but because people interpret each other through completely different lenses.You’ll hear five personality types that often surface under pressure — from the Power Player to the Grumbler — and how understanding these roles can shift how you communicate, collaborate, and get momentum back.Vanessa also reflects on her own tendencies, how she’s built a steady leadership presence over time, and which personality type still tests her patience.🎧 Listen now to reframe how you show up in team settings — and move forward when things feel stuck. 📄 Bonus: Read Vanessa’s article “5 Personality Types & How to Manage Them on Your Team": https://blueskiesconsulting.com/5-personality-types-how-to-manage-them-on-your-team/A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.

“Silence doesn’t solve tension — it just delays the fallout.”John Prichard, Director at Blue Skies Consulting, has led more than his share of high-stakes projects. And if there’s one pattern he’s seen repeatedly, it’s this: misalignment doesn’t always show up as open conflict. Sometimes it hides behind silence—unspoken concerns, unclear ownership, or teams too worn out to speak up.In this episode, John joins Frontline Insights to share how he navigates those moments. Drawing from his experience leading complex systems implementations, he walks through the practices that help surface the real issue before it becomes a blocker — asking the right questions, engaging quieter voices, and staying grounded when emotions run high.This isn't about confrontation. It's about alignment — and why effective leaders often sound less like deciders and more like listeners.🎧 Listen now for a grounded, real-world conversation about misalignment, momentum, and how to lead through friction—not around it.📝 Bonus: Read John’s original article on conflict mediation, "How to Use Non-Confrontational Mediation for Disagreements on Projects": https://blueskiesconsulting.com/how-to-use-non-confrontational-mediation-for-disagreements-on-projects/A production of  Blue Skies ConsultingHost: Kenis FolkExecutive Producer: Giraud JacksonProducer: Jason VicksAudio Engineer: Brandon FriedelCreator & Strategic Advisor: Justin NolteConnect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blueskiesconsultingRemember, behind every transformation, there’s a story worth telling.