The Playbook for Leading Change | Dr. Mitch Kusy & Dr. Gilles Benoit

Change is no longer an event. It's the environment. The leaders who thrive won't be the ones who resist it, but those who embrace it, learn to navigate it with confidence and purpose, and understand that change brings opportunity.

In this episode of 12 Geniuses, host Don MacPherson welcomes Dr. Gilles Benoit and Dr. Mitch Kusy, co-authors of The Playbook for Leading Change, for a practical conversation about leading through the social, political, technological, and organizational changes reshaping our world.

Drawing from decades of research and executive coaching, Gilles and Mitch share proven strategies for helping individuals, teams, and organizations embrace change rather than fear it. They explain why perfectionism often prevents growth, how accountability partners can dramatically improve personal transformation, and why today's leaders must become intentional architects of change instead of passive observers.

The conversation also explores the role of artificial intelligence as a powerful tool for navigating uncertainty, along with practical frameworks for determining when change is truly necessary.

Whether you're leading an organization, managing a team, or managing personal growth, this episode offers actionable insights to help you adapt, lead, and thrive.

In this episode you'll discover:

Why leading change is becoming a defining leadership competency
Practical frameworks for deciding when change is necessary
How to overcome perfectionism and make meaningful progress
Why accountability partners accelerate personal and professional growth
How AI can become a valuable partner in navigating change
Strategies for leading teams through uncertainty with confidence
How to build organizations that remain resilient in an era of constant disruption

If you want to prepare yourself and your team for the future, this conversation is your playbook.

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Dr. Mitchell (Mitch) Kusy is a force in the world of leadership and work culture transformation. A professor in the PhD Program in Leadership & Change at Antioch University, Mitch earned his doctorate in Organization Development from the University of Minnesota and went on to become a Fulbright Scholar, sharing his expertise across the globe. Mitch has led leadership development at American Express, HealthPartners, and has since partnered with some of the most respected organizations in the world, including 3M, Mayo Clinic, The New York Times, Roche Laboratories, University of California, AT & T, Target Corporation, United Healthcare, Deloitte New Zealand, Australian Water Authority, Kraft Foods, Kaiser Permanente, Rollerblade, United Way, US Bank, and many more. His mission is to help leaders rise higher, teams work smarter, and organizations build cultures where people thrive.

Dr. Gilles Benoit is a senior scientist at 3M with more than 70 patents to his name and a career defined by breakthrough thinking. His work has sparked game-changing advances, from helping develop the optical fibers used in the first non-invasive lung cancer surgery to creating cutting-edge display technologies for global giants like Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft. With a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT, Gilles has a reputation for tackling complex, worldwide challenges with precision, creativity, and advanced technology. A leading voice in cutting through AI hype, Gilles shows leaders what actually works. His pilot projects expose why so many AI tools fall short—and how a groundbreaking new method, Deep Causal Learning (DCL), can transform decision-making. Gilles helps leaders cut through confusion, make smarter and more accurate decisions, and build AI-ready cultures that are prepared for the future.

The Playbook for Leading Change | Dr. Mitch Kusy & Dr. Gilles Benoit

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