08-26-2026
“Listening is so much faster than telling,” advises the Daniels School’s Ben Dunford, professor of management, when talking about how leaders can transform mistakes into growth during periods of change. Dunford spoke with IMCA Peer2Peer podcast hosts Leslie Castillo and Jim Flynn about the roles accountability and forgiveness play in building the trust to lead change.
“The messy middle is where the golden nuggets are,” Dunford reminds leaders. Building in time to listen rather than plowing through new implementations without scheduling the margin to listen to team members is key. When “too many conflicts have gone on unresolved for years” in organizations, it degrades the buy-in for change. Dunford speaks about healthy “fights” that win over the neutral-state team members as well as anyone who is actively undermining change.
Dunford shares how building connections that are real, meaningful engagements will appeal to younger and older employees alike. He advises leaders to get off the work treadmill and use their interpersonal skills to create a culture that navigates change by minimizing resistance.
Listen to the podcast:
