ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Why do so many digital transformations hit a wall? You can have the fastest cloud platform or the most advanced AI agents, but if you ignore the humans responsible for using them, you are destined to struggle.
In this episode of Waves of Innovation, host Daniel Jones reconnects with his former business partner and long-time collaborator, Dan Young. Ten years ago, they set out to transform companies using Cloud Native technology. They quickly realized that the biggest blockers weren't technical—they were psychological.
As the industry shifts from Cloud Native to AI Native, the lessons they learned are more relevant than ever. DJ and Dan dive deep into the messy reality of organizational change, exploring why mandates fail and why "invitation" is the secret weapon of successful modern leadership.
In this episode, we cover:
- The Identity Crisis of Change: Why developers and managers resist new workflows—not because they are stubborn, but because it threatens their professional identity.
- Invitation-Based Change: How to stop dragging people to meetings and start creating spaces where people choose to engage using Open Space technology.
- Liberating Structures: Practical tools (like TRIZ and 1-2-4-All) you can use tomorrow to break down power dynamics and let the quietest voices in the room solve your biggest problems.
- The "Make It Fail" Exercise: A counterintuitive strategy to identify organizational weaknesses by asking how to ensure a project fails spectacularly.
- Leading with Vulnerability: Why the "Iron Triangle" of certainty kills innovation, and how listening can be a leader's most powerful tool.
About the Guest: Dan Young is a technologist turned organizational change expert. Formerly the co-founder of Cloud Native consultancy EngineerBetter, he now runs When & How Studios. He specializes in the human side of technology, helping organizations navigate the complex web of motivations, identities, and power dynamics to create healthier, more effective teams.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
- Inviting Leadership: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inviting-Leadership-Invitation-Based-ChangeTM-World/dp/0984875352
- Liberating Structures: https://www.liberatingstructures.com/
- Open Space Technology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_space_technology
- When & How Studios - Book Of Prompts: https://www.whenandhowstudios.com/book-of-prompts
- Article: Are you growing something that matters? (The pandemic/Telco story): https://medium.com/needs-workshop/are-you-growing-something-that-matters-78a7f3a79838
- Article: Helping the NHS take care of itself (The shielding story): https://medium.com/needs-workshop/helping-the-nhs-take-care-of-itself-4643c0d3f20f
