Leading Change Without Migraines
If you’re leading change—or helping others do it—you know how easily things get stuck and lose momentum. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Why You’re Here — and Where to Start
Hi, I’m Rick Maurer. For the past 30 years, I’ve helped leaders—and the consultants and coaches who support them—spot the real roadblocks to change in their organizations and take actions that shift indifference and resistance into strong support.
The good news? You probably don’t need a new plan, different people, or another book about change. What you might need is a way to get more out of yourself, your team, and your existing plans.
I’ve put together three short videos to help you get started building stronger support today. I wish you well.
The Challenge of Change
– and a Smarter Way to Tackle It
STEP ONE
The Energy Bar: A Quick Way to See Why Changes Get Stuck
Change requires energy and forward momentum. In this video, I’ll show you how to spot where support is strong—and where you might face indifference or resistance. I call it The Energy Bar™.
STEP TWO
The Three Big Reasons People Support—or Resist—Change
Changes often stall not because people are bad or unwilling, but because leaders miss early warning signs.
They explain their plan, then explain it again—louder.
They talk when they should listen. Push when they should pause.
Even with good intentions, resistance builds.
This video walks you through what you need to understand to avoid that trap—starting with why people support new ideas, and why others might resist or tune out.
STEP THREE
Your Change GPS: A Quick Map to Help You Stay on Track – or Get Back on Track
Start by opening the PDF The Change GPS Tool.
Then watch the video, where I walk you through a simple way to begin putting it into practice.
Ways to Work With Me
Whether you’re launching a big initiative, managing a project team that’s stuck, or supporting clients as a coach or consultant—I offer some ways of working together that you might find useful.
Strategic Work Sessions
A focused, high-impact session where we roll up our sleeves and tackle one major challenge head-on. These sessions are part strategy, part real-time problem-solving — designed to help your team move forward with clarity and energy.
Targeted Coaching
Practical, just-in-time guidance for leaders and teams working through tough change issues. Together, you and I discuss what you want to achieve as a result of these coaching sessions. Then together we can create your coaching program.
Keynotes & Breakout Sessions
Your people will be engaged from the moment the session begins. I make it interactive, weaving in real stories of changes that worked — and ones that didn’t. I often send out a short three-question anonymous survey to the people attending. I may ask to talk with a few individuals as well. Your organization needs to know that I have done my homework and designed something especially for you.
Audiences often tell me, “This is exactly what we needed.” They walk away with practical insights, renewed energy, and ideas they can put to use right away.
Online Course: Change Without Migraines™ Series & Workshops (Coming Soon)
A self-paced course for diagnosing and addressing the most common — and costly — sources of resistance in change initiatives.
Include a link to sign up to be notified when live?
Meet Rick Maurer
When I first wrote Beyond the Wall of Resistance, many experts said the best way to deal with resistance was to “overcome” it. I disagreed then, and I still do.
People don’t respond well when we try to push past their concerns. They respond much better when we invite them to work together on the challenges and opportunities that matter most.
Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders and teams to turn resistance into a source of energy and support for lasting change. Along the way, I’ve revised Beyond the Wall and written other books, including Why Don’t You Want What I Want?, The Building Capacity for Change Sourcebook, and Seizing Moments of Possibility.
My work is about empathy, influence, and practical action—not clever tricks or “winning battles.” I don’t believe in inflicting change on people. Instead, I help leaders succeed by engaging others who have a real stake in the outcome—and building the kind of support that makes change stick.
Trusted by Leaders & Change Agents
…Maurer goes beyond the philosophy of change management…
“Change is inevitable. Maurer goes beyond the philosophy of change management to actually help people identify resistance and teach them tools to overcome it. His tools have been used extensively by Lockheed Martin to drive change successfully across a multitude of processes and products with tangible savings.”
…a thought-leader in the world of change management…
“Rick continues to be a thought-leader in the world of change management. He asks the “deeper questions” that lead to exploring and investigating the root issues which underlie the challenges we all encounter on a daily basis. Then he leads us through a thoughtful process to arrive at solutions and action steps to overcome the obstacles in our way.”
…very practical and effective…
“I’ve followed Rick Maurer’s work on change for years and just read his Seizing Moments of Possibility book. I find Rick’s work to be very practical and effective for working through systemic organizational change challenges. I’m one of those people who have poured all my effort into projects that started with huge excitement and then cratered. I like the workbook approach of Rick’s energy maintenance principles, activation activities, problems to watch out for, key points to remember and the sharpening your focus tools. Thanks, Rick for putting this work together and offering it to all us change agent practitioners out there.”
…revamped the entire change management agenda…
“After hearing Rick’s presentation, we revamped the entire change management agenda for training leaders in our company.”
Insights on Leading Change
Seeing A Crisis Before it Was Too Late
Leaders in a large plant knew they were going to face significant new competition from extremely low cost providers over the next few years. The Challenge Leaders of a manufacturing company realized that they were going to face significant new competition over the...
I Plan to Take My Own Advice — Sometime Soon
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about a guy, a spotlight, and a broom and how that guy (Emmett Kelly) held the attention of an entire crowd with only a broom and a spotlight. My point was that we often turn events and meetings into three-ring circuses with many...
If You’re Leading Change, Let’s Make It Easier
“Take a few minutes to explore. Watch the videos. Think about what’s going on in your organization. If what I say makes sense, let’s talk. If we are a good fit for each other, I’d love to work with you.”
– Rick Maurer
Maurer & Associates
For more information:
Phone: (703) 200-3074
E-mail: rick@rickmaurer.com
Address
P.O. Box 50142,
Arlington, VA 22205