Topic: Self-Awareness: The Super-Power of Change Leadership - Moving From Change Failure to Buy-In

Speaker: Jennifer James, Founder, Double J Strategic and Co-Founder and VP, Admit One Productions

Presentation:

This 60 minute leadership session positions self-awareness as the foundational capability of effective change leadership. Leaders learn how to examine their emotional reactions, internal narratives, and unconscious patterns as a critical way to shape the success or failure of transformation efforts. Participants explore how stress and uncertainty trigger predictable behaviors — and how those behaviors directly influence trust, engagement, and psychological safety within their teams.

Through reflection and practical models, leaders learn how to create space between trigger and response, close the gap between intent and impact, and intentionally shape the emotional climate during change. The session reframes self-awareness not as a soft skill, but as a strategic advantage — the superpower that enables leaders to respond with clarity, stability, and credibility when it matters most.

Speaker's bio:
Jen brings over 25 years of experience as both a consultant and corporate change leader, supporting organizations, teams, and individuals through complex transformation. She is a PROSCI and Lean Six Sigma–certified Change Consultant and Strategist at Canadian Tire, known for being a mindful problem solver and a strategic and creative thinker. Throughout her career, Jen has led and enabled change across organizations including Giant Tiger, Loblaws, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts,  Hudson's Bay Company, Walmart, Marvel Entertainment, Dyncacare, and Mosaic Sales Solutions, among others. She brings deep practical insight into what it truly takes to implement and sustain change. In addition to her corporate work, Jen is a registered psychotherapist whose practice focuses on supporting adults and couples navigating later-life transitions. She is a certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher and, integrates these evidence-based approaches into both her therapeutic and organizational work. In addition to all this, Jen is a certified life and executive coach and a long-standing NextUp mentor. She is passionate about continuous development and lifelong learning - for both herself and others. Outside of her change leadership and clinical practice, Jen has been a partner at Admit One Productions since 2007, reflecting her creative spirit and passion for storytelling.