Meaningful Change Leadership with Leslie Ellis

The hardest part of change isn’t the plan or the platform—it’s leadership. In this episode, Todd sits down with Leslie Ellis, CEO of Meaningful Change Consulting, to unpack why transformations stall and how leaders can turn constant disruption into a durable advantage. Drawing from work across dozens of organizations and nearly a million stakeholders, Leslie shares a powerful truth: change doesn’t fail because people resist—it fails when leaders stop listening. Together, they explore how mindset, alignment, and simple micro-shifts build trust, reduce rework, and create lasting impact.

Topics Discussed

Leslie’s origin story and shift from execution-focused change to change leadership
Why leader habits and blind spots quietly drain momentum and create rework
The myth of change as a one-time event and why alignment beats speed
Psychological safety, fail-fast learning, and building a learning culture
Practical micro-shifts: listening first, asking open questions, and embracing silence
Using resets, better language, and vulnerability to engage people in change
Conscious business: designing for systemic health, not just short-term profit
Building a “change muscle” so future transformations get easier
Recommended reads and the types of leaders and organizations Leslie supports

Leslie Ellis Bio

Leslie Ellis is a change advisor and CEO of Meaningful Change Consulting, a certified woman-owned business. With over 20 years of experience, she has led successful change initiatives across 47 clients in 42 countries, positively impacting 850,000+ stakeholders globally. Leslie specializes in complex global engineered products, energy services, and utilities, focusing on culture change, business reinvention, and digital transformations. She is a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP™) and recognized as one of 2023’s Top 50 Most Dynamic Women in the Charlotte Region. Leslie’s proprietary approach leverages co-active leadership, human-centered design, and conscious business principles.