#141 – The Human Cost of Change and How Leaders Can Do Better with Myriane Ouellette

Change at work is often treated like a checklist: new strategy, new structure, new expectations. But what rarely gets named is what people are actually losing along the way: certainty, identity, trust, and sometimes even a sense of belonging. When leaders move too fast and skip the human side of organizational change, the cost shows up quietly through employee burnout, disengagement, and resistance that feels hard to explain.

 

That’s where Myriane Ouellette comes in. 

 

As a leadership strategist at O Strategies, she helps leaders across sectors navigate complex change management while supporting their teams’ well-being and resilience. Drawing from deeply personal experiences and years of supporting organizations through transformation, Myriane reminds us that change is never just technical – it’s emotional, relational, and human-centered.

 

On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, we’re talking with Myriane Ouellette, Owner and CEO at O Strategies, about why so many change initiatives fail when leaders ignore the human experience behind them. Join us as we learn how grief and loss show up at work, why “resistance” is often a signal rather than a problem, and how shifting from control to stewardship helps teams adapt more sustainably. 

 

Leadership tips you won’t want to miss: 

🎙️ Recognizing resistance as unacknowledged loss, not lack of commitment

🎙️ Slowing down to build real buy-in and capacity before pushing for results

🎙️ Shifting from command-and-control leadership to stewardship and care

🎙️ Creating space for honest dialogue instead of avoiding hard conversations

🎙️ Treating burnout as a system-level signal, not an individual failure

 

Myriane Ouellette is a leadership strategist, speaker, and founder of O Strategies, specializing in strategic planning and organizational resilience. Her work helps teams rethink how they lead and navigate change with clarity, courage, and humanity.

 

If you’re looking to lead change in a way that protects both results and people, then this episode is for you.

 

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review.  

 

🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://lindsaylapaquette.com/podcast/ 

 

For a full written transcript of the episode, please see the show notes at the link above. 

 

Myriane’s contact information:

Website 

LinkedIn 

YouTube

Facebook 

Instagram 

 

Lindsay’s contact information: 

To book a discovery call 

E-mail

Website

Free e-course: Free Yourself from Workplace Confrontation and Conflict

LinkedIn 

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Picture of Lindsay Lapaquette

Lindsay Lapaquette

Lindsay Lapaquette, M.Sc.(A) works with middle managers who want to communicate authentically so they can effectively lead their teams without losing themselves. As a former Speech-Language Pathologist, Lindsay applies her expertise in the neuroscience of communication and connection to help managers foster an environment of trust and respect in their teams, so that everyone can bring their best selves to work.

Lindsay’s approach has been profoundly influenced by her work with Indigenous organizations, her experience as a parent to two neurodivergent children, and the premature loss of both of her parents. These experiences have taught Lindsay great lessons about the power of excellent people skills that extend well beyond her professional expertise.

Picture of Lindsay Lapaquette

Lindsay Lapaquette

Lindsay Lapaquette, M.Sc.(A) works with middle managers who want to communicate authentically so they can effectively lead their teams without losing themselves. As a former Speech Language Pathologist, Lindsay applies her expertise in the neuroscience of communication and connection to help managers foster an environment of trust and respect in their teams, so that everyone can bring their best selves to work.

Lindsay’s approach has been profoundly influenced by her work with First Nations organizations, her experience as a parent to two children with pervasive mental health challenges, and the premature loss of both of her parents. These experiences have taught Lindsay great lessons about the power of excellent people skills that extend well beyond her professional expertise.

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