Dr. Charmion Patton
CHRO
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Episode 324
The Unstoppable Current: Mastering Organizational Change for Lasting Success
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleJanuary 29, 2025 · 12:06
Thesis
“Change is an inevitable and continuous aspect of life and organizations; therefore, proactively embracing and strategically managing transitions through structured processes, continuous engagement, and adaptive leadership is essential for ensuring long-term success and employee well-being.”
Show notes
Most change management frameworks are built around the idea that people resist change. Dr. Charmion Patton, CHRO at Hillsborough County Public Schools, has a different starting point: change is going to happen anyway, so the real question is whether your organization will shape it or be shaped by it. Her answer is a structured, four-stage model she developed from 25 years of leading organizational transformation in one of the most change-resistant environments imaginable — public education.
Dr. Patton's Four Stages of Change — Modification, Manipulation, Maintenance, and Management — give HR leaders a repeatable playbook for moving from initiative launch to lasting behavior shift. But her most unexpected insight may be the role of gamification: points, badges, leaderboards, and levels aren't just for consumer apps. Applied thoughtfully to change management, they transform compliance into genuine engagement, turning what employees view as imposition into something they actively pursue.
The discipline, she argues, is in the "maintenance" phase — where most change initiatives quietly die. Sustaining transformation requires constant communication, willingness to reassess, and measurement tools (surveys, dashboards, one-on-ones) that tell you whether the new behavior is actually taking hold or just being performed for optics.
- The Four Stages of Change framework — a structured path from initiation to sustainable transformation
- Gamification as an engagement engine — how points, badges, and leaderboards drive behavioral change at scale
- Balancing leadership direction with employee ownership — defining roles clearly so neither side undermines the other
- Avoiding the "one and done" trap — why maintenance is the hardest and most critical stage
- Measuring change effectiveness — the combination of surveys, dashboards, focus groups, and direct conversation that reveals what's real
This episode is sponsored by Previ, helping employees save on the household expenses that matter most.
What you'll take away
- 1Dr. Charmion Patton's 'Four Stages of Change' (Modification, Manipulation, Maintenance, Management) provides a structured framework for implementing and sustaining organizational transitions effectively.
- 2Gamification, through elements like points, badges, and leaderboards, is a powerful and enjoyable method to drive employee engagement, influence behavior, and foster accountability during change initiatives.
- 3Achieving balance between employee involvement and leadership direction during change is crucial, best managed through clear communication of expectations and well-defined roles.
- 4Sustaining change requires constant communication, regular check-ins, and a willingness to reassess and adjust implemented programs, moving beyond a 'one and done' mentality.
- 5The effectiveness of change management efforts can be measured and refined using a combination of surveys, dashboards, focus groups, and direct one-on-one feedback.
What most organizations get wrong
- •Challenges the conventional view that change is inherently tedious, instead advocating for the proactive use of gamification to make change engaging and exciting within organizations, rather than relying solely on external consultants.
- •Pushes back on the idea that leaders must always possess all the answers during transitions, emphasizing the critical importance of empowering and involving employees to leverage their perspectives for successful change implementation.
In Dr.'s words
“The Four Stages of Change is really a concept that I created and implemented when making change at an organization.”
Introduces her unique, proprietary framework for managing organizational change.
“The term gamification really is defined by AI as the use of game mechanics such as leaderboards, points, badges, levels. People often do that when they play games.”
Provides a clear and relatable definition of gamification and its application in HR.
“The best way to have the balance is really through communication of expectations and to clarify the definition of roles.”
Highlights the foundational elements for fostering successful collaboration between leadership and employees during change.
“I'm saying embrace change. It's going to happen anyway. If you're going to have it happen, don't let it happen to you.”
Encapsulates her core philosophy on change, advocating for proactive acceptance and strategic navigation.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Organizations frequently implement new projects or systems, but these initiatives often fail to achieve their expected long-term outcomes due to a lack of sustained change management.
- •HR professionals consistently face challenges with inefficient leave management systems, leading to administrative burdens and difficulties in effectively tracking employee leaves.
- •Many organizations adopt a 'one and done' approach to change, failing to engage in ongoing dialogue and adaptation (the 'manipulation' stage) after initial implementation, which hinders true integration.
- •Keeping managers and teams engaged during change initiatives is difficult, as change is often perceived as tedious, hard, or a chore, leading to low participation and motivation.
- •Leaders sometimes feel obligated to provide all the answers during organizational transitions, inadvertently preventing active employee involvement and hindering the collective ownership of the change process.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Dr. Charm
Dr. Sharma created the Four Stages of Change when making organizational changes
The 4 Stages of Change
Dr. Charm is a fan of gamification and its applications to change process
Dr. Charm: Change Management's Use of Gamification
How do you balance employee involvement and leadership direction when navigating through change
Dr. Anindra Sharma on Change Management and Maintenance
Dr. Charm says embrace change because it's going to happen
Dr. Charm
Dr. Charm joins us on Built By People podcast
Dr. Charm on Built By People Podcast
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
Expand transcript (0 words)
Transcript is not available yet.