Field Notes from the Frontlines of Transformation
Why strategy, rigour, and a little humanity matter more than ever.
The word transformation gets tossed around a lot. But real transformation — the kind that changes how people work, how decisions get made, and how trust is earned — is rare.
I’ve spent the last two decades helping organizations try. Sometimes we nail it. Sometimes we don’t. And sometimes… everything just gets paused.
This blog isn’t about the shiny side of change. It’s about the real stuff — the slow progress, the political quicksand, the friction between vision and reality. It’s about leading transformation with your eyes open, your tools sharp, and your people front and centre.
I’ve scoped and pitched centres of excellence inside Canadian federal departments. I’ve launched tiger teams, shaped culture strategies, and tried to steer some of the biggest ERP and digital shifts in the public sector.
Big dreams. Big budgets. Strong early momentum. And then reality hits — priorities shift, funding dries up, leadership changes, or implementation gets quietly postponed. I’m often brought in to architect the change — to frame the strategy, build the blueprint, and get the right conversations going. Whether the system is ready to act on it? That’s another story.
But even when the work pauses, fizzles, or gets overtaken by the next crisis, it leaves behind sharper thinking, clearer language, and a little more readiness for the next try.
What I bring to this space — and every project — is a bias for action, a belief that strategy should be useable, and a deep respect for the people doing the work. That includes you.
So here’s what to expect in Field Notes:
Strategic reflections that name what’s hard — and what’s worth doing anyway
Case snapshots that show how change really plays out (the good, the bad, and the “we’ll circle back”)
Plainspoken tools and insights grounded in practice, not just frameworks
The occasional rant about buzzwords that need to die
Why now? Because the appetite for change is still there, but the energy is low. Leaders are stretched thin. Teams are wary. And too many transformation efforts confuse volume for value. We need sharper tools. Clearer stories. More candour about what it really takes to shift culture, behaviour, and systems in ways that last.
This is my little corner of the internet where I contribute to that.
Whether you're here as a public servant, an executive, a fellow consultant, or just someone trying to move something meaningful, welcome.
Let’s make change that sticks.
Let’s make it human.
And let’s stop calling it enablement, shall we?
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👋 Let’s keep the conversation going
I work with public and private sector leaders who are navigating complex change, building stronger cultures, or trying to make strategy actually land.
If something in this post resonated, let’s connect:
🔗 linkedin.com/in/kathryninc or kathryn@zenithconsulting.ca
