Leading Change—From the Inside Out
The LeaderSelf Approach to Change
James Egbert, Director of Human Capital Planning & Analytics
HHS Office of Human Resources
United States Department of Health and Human Servicesv
You Are the Expert of Your Own Change
You have been leading change all your life. Everywhere you have gone, you have been there—pioneering, responding, adapting, and sometimes reluctantly resisting the inevitable currents of change.
The most powerful insight I can offer you today is this recognition—that you are already the most qualified and experienced change manager of your own journey.
When you harness this hard-earned wisdom, expertise, and perspective to empower others, you transform from a participant in change to a catalyst for collective transformation.
As Viktor Frankl reminded us in Man's Search for Meaning, "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." In that profound moment of self-transformation, we become not just witnesses to change, but its most powerful architects.
Four Sides of the Change Coin
Change, like a multifaceted coin, transcends simple duality—it exists in four interconnected dimensions simultaneously, each offering crucial perspective.
Heads
The visible manifestation. What you can measure—the tangible outcomes, quantifiable results, and observable transformations that validate your change journey.
Tails
The emotional undercurrent. What remains hidden—the underlying anxieties, unspoken resistance, and unaddressed concerns that can silently undermine progress.
Inside
The internal compass. The foundational beliefs, guiding values, and mental frameworks that profoundly shape how we interpret, engage with, and ultimately embody change initiatives.
Edge
The crucible of action. The dynamic threshold where all perspectives converge—that narrow yet transformative space where decisive commitment converts intention into meaningful reality.
It is on this pivotal edge where the LeaderSelf approach takes its stand: poised between aspiration and implementation, illuminated by collective purpose, and propelled by intentional, courageous action in the present moment.
What Leaders Do
Attention
Transformative change begins with heightened awareness of our environment, ourselves, and the interconnected journey we share with others.
Gallup's Global Leadership Study reveals that 56% of leadership attributes are anchored in hope—the conviction that tomorrow can surpass today through deliberate, purposeful action.
Intention
Awareness without direction remains passive observation; infused with purpose, it becomes a catalytic intention for transformation.
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances." —Viktor Frankl
Agency
While hope and purpose kindle the spirit, Agency propels us toward meaningful, tangible action through conscious choices and deliberate steps.
"Hope is never merely passive—it represents a courageous decision to envision possibility and methodically transform it into reality through persistent effort."
The Call to Action – Becoming the Catalyst of Change
Lead from Within
LeaderSelf invites you to transform change from the inside out, beginning with you.
Engage All Perspectives
By embracing the four sides of change and harnessing attention, intention, and agency, you become the architect rather than merely a responder.
Accept the Challenge
Stand boldly on the edge of possibility—focus on potential rather than limits, act with purpose, and others will soon look to you for guidance.
Embody Transformation
Change isn't external—you are transformation itself.
Conclusion and Opening
Our Changing World
The world continues its relentless evolution. How we respond to and engage with this change remains entirely our choice.
The Power of Choice
As Viktor Frankl profoundly observed: "Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
Where LeaderSelf Lives
This intentional space is where LeaderSelf flourishes. It's the fertile ground where hope takes root, and the sacred moment where genuine transformation begins.
The Path Forward
Let us become catalysts of change—one deliberate decision at a time, one purposeful action after another, igniting transformation from the inside out.
Appendix
  • Five Reflective Questions
  • Getting Started
  • What to Do When Blocked
  • Tools for Change
  • Change Plan Template
Five Reflection Questions
  1. Which aspects of today's session resonate most deeply with your change leadership journey?
  1. What concepts would you like to explore more thoroughly in your personal development?
  1. In what spheres of influence are you already exercising leadership, perhaps without realizing it?
  1. What is the core purpose that drives your leadership decisions and actions?
  1. How could you apply these ideas to transform your organization, strengthen your community, and enrich your home life?
Getting Started
Self-Assessment
Understand your current relationship with change
Vision Creation
Develop a clear picture of your desired outcome
Resource Gathering
Identify the tools, support, and knowledge you'll need
First Action
Take one meaningful step toward your change goal
What to Do When You are Blocked in Change
Structure Building
Create frameworks and systems to support your change journey
Intention Clarification
Reconnect with your purpose and refine your goals
Agency Coaching
Seek guidance to strengthen your capacity for action
Switch among structure building, intention clarification, and agency coaching
Tools for Change
Change Roadmap
Visual guide for navigating transformation
Feedback Loop
System for continuous improvement
Stakeholder Analysis
Understanding who's affected and how
Progress Tracker
Measuring movement toward goals
#3 Tools for Change
Change Plan Template