Raising Your Game Blog

Thank you for joining us if this is your first time visiting the Raising Your Game (RYG) Blog.

If you are an experienced internal professional or external consultant who facilitates organizational change, you may find what is shared here of interest. A good sign there is a fit for you is if you are at a point in your career where you no longer think adding yet another set of concepts, tools or certifications to your already extensive credentials is the only way to advance your capabilities. You’ll know for sure you’re at the right place if “who you are” when practicing your craft is at least as important to you as “what you do”.

The RYG Blog is for seasoned change practitioners (change management, project management, organizational design, IT, HR, leadership development, strategic planning, etc.) who want to explore how their inherent character and the presence it generates can be used to advance their impact with the leaders they serve. It is offered as a support mechanism to change practitioners seeking to raise their game and believe doing so requires an introspective journey.

Here you’ll find thoughts, observations and insights related to intentionally bringing forward aspects of who you truly are that may have become hidden and diminished. The entries will represent various perspectives on this subject but always in support of a single premise: the greatest value we generate for others occurs when we remain aligned to the core of what makes each of us a unique resource. While there may be occasional posts about the character/presence of leaders sponsoring change, the primary thrust will be geared toward the practitioner audience.

Welcome. We’re glad you’re here.

The 2025 Spring ATA Program begins on May 16, 2025 and runs thru September 26, 2025. Learn more and register.

Essays on the Mastery Path

The field of change management is ever-evolving; we continue to learn more about the human response to change every day. At Conner Academy, we support practitioners who are on a mastery path. These essays offer guidance on that journey.

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Professional Development for HITA Practitioners

For years now, our profession has been consumed with the notion that only 30% of change endeavors fully achieve their stated objectives. Countless books, articles, blogs, speeches, and conference sessions have been devoted to questions like: Is this really the correct portrayal of change’s success rate?

Building The High Impact Trusted Advisor Relationship

  https://conneracademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Building-the-High-Impact-Trusted-Advisor-Relationship.mp4 High Impact Trusted Advisors (HITAs) are change practitioners with extraordinary access to and influence with senior leaders. Some serve executives at the C-suite level, some support key leaders in […]

Practicing the craft gives practitioners more job security.

The fear of losing an assignment or even employment leads change practitioners to sometimes cater to clients’ wishes rather than stand firm on what they believe to be in their […]

When is “helping” acceptable?

  It is easy to go to sleep and forget who we are and the unique value we have to offer when we bring our authentic selves forward. Waking up […]

The Difference Between “Helping” and “Practicing Our Craft”

High-impact change professionals know that it requires a degree of courage and discipline to practice the craft at their level. Practitioners must have the courage to face the implications (problems/opportunities) […]

The Role of Provocateur

As professional change facilitators, we take on many roles when performing our duties: SME, educator, counselor, philosopher, etc. In my opinion, one that is among the most important in our […]