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 2024 Spring ATA Program begins on April 5, 2024 and runs thru August 16, 2024. Learn more and register.

The 2024 Aussie ATA Program begins on July 19, 2024 and runs thru November 28, 2024. Learn more and register.

The 2024 Fall ATA Program begins on September 20, 2024 and runs thru February 14, 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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Are you ready to raise your game?

Are you finding yourself having less impact as a change practitioner than you believe you should? Do you want to be engaged at a more strategic level with your change […]

Are you properly addressing the sticky issues?

High-impact practitioners don’t shy away from helping clients recognize, acknowledge, and take action on the various “sticky issues” that inevitably arise when the status quo is disrupted. Change-related sticky issues […]

Boundaries are necessary.

Should we expect our clients will always follow our advice? Absolutely not. Should we do everything possible to accommodate the client’s request when he or she asks us to modify […]

Courage and discipline are as important as technique.

I am concerned by how quickly some practitioners who, although very skilled in their implementation approach and confident in its potential for success, cave the first time a client pushes […]

How to Find and Use Your Voice

  We normally think of the word “sovereignty” as applying to states or nations, but the concept can just as easily apply to people and, in particular, professional change practitioners. […]

Waking up involves exploring who you are.

The kind of effort involved in “waking up,” as I’m describing it here, runs contrary to what many people want when it comes to advancing professional competencies. Today, the popular […]