Our method moves beyond traditional ChangeLeadership and Management practices toexplicitly integrate the principles ofPsychological Safety and Positive Psychology --what we call, Joy at Work Thinking -- to improvea company’s culture whenever business changesare introduced.Why Joy at Work? Because how you handlechange has a lasting impact on your culture andhow ready your people are for more change,allowing you to achieve your goals foradaptability and growth -- or not.Experience tells us that people are not usuallyupset by what’s changing. They get most upsetby how change is handled. That’s when you losethem. Even the most unpopular change cangrow joy in the workplace when handled well.A change and culturecompany making workpart of a life well-lived: Joy at Work.ABOUTTHECHANGEDECISION
P U R P O S EWe focus on leaders and companies that care abouttheir employees and customers. More specifically, weserve leaders and Change experts who are leadinghigh-risk changes and seek to preserve and improveemployee engagement at the same time.We do this through consulting, classes and coachingprograms in Change Leadership, Change Managementand Team Effectiveness. This includes focusing oneffective management, communication, employeecoaching, group decision-making, leadershipalignment, empathy and employee engagement. H I S T O R YIn 2011, we had a rare career-changing experiencethat made us believe that a team could rise abovedemoralizing hardship and overcome overwhelmingobstacles to achieve goals that seem impossible toreach. We learned about joy in the workplace andhow it could grow even in the most direcircumstances. Since then, we’ve been studying whathappened, where joy can be found in othercompanies, and what makes it possible for joy tocontribute to a company’s success.The Change Decision was launched in 2016 to makethe workplace better through how business change isdone, connecting change to growing joy at work.Since 2009, we've collected data from leadershipteams about the best experience they have had,either leading or being part of a team. In 2020, webegan a research project to find out what joy at workmeans to CEOs and senior leaders and how thatmanifests in the companies they lead. In 2021, wepublished A Guide to Joy at Work, our first publicationbased on the research findings.THE CHANGE DECISIONBASICS2A M B I T I O NEquip leaders and Change experts with the toolsto lead change and constantly improve the cultureof their company.By 2025, cultivate a community of 1000 Joy atWork(ers) who seek to make their workplace justand healthy for everyone through their everydaycontribution as employees.Publish the Joy Research findings and relatedbody of work that supports this entirecommunity.Three goals guide our path forward:1.2.3.
THE CHANGE DECISIONSERVICES3TEAMEFFECTIVENESSFor Managers and Team Leaders:Leadership training program for managers to developthe fundamentals of management and advance theirskills in team and employee engagement. Leaderslearn how to manage the work of their team, coachand develop employees, have productive feedbackand performance conversations, and lead their peoplethrough change. Leaders practice techniques theycan use immediately. A five-week training series or afull program of group and 1-on-1 coaching areoffered. Custom programs are also available. A strategy to ensure adoption of a significantbusiness change while managing the impact to thebusiness and the people affected. As a first step, animpact assessment is done to identify the risks anddetermine the best options to achieve your goals.This results in a detailed Change Plan designed toguide the organization through the change and have apositive affect on employee engagement. To executethe plan, options include, 1.) a fully dedicated team,2.) leadership team coaching, or 3.) on-call advisory.CHANGELEADERSHIPFor Managers and Team Leaders:Leadership training program for leaders to influenceand inspire their people to adopt critical businesschange decisions. Leaders learn to create a clearintention for leading others, communicate compellingmessages, partner with change influencers, practiceempathy, and lead with vision, especially during timesof growth, disruption or uncertainty. A five-weektraining series or a full program of group and 1-on-1coaching are offered.CHANGEMANAGEMENTFor Change Professionals:Change Management Training and Certification. Amethodology that incorporates Psychological Safetyand Positive Psychology concepts into the practicesand toolset. A five-week certification program and a 1-on-1 coaching program are offered. A specialChange Analytics Measurement program is alsoavailable.CHANGECONSULTING
THE CHANGE DECISIONTEAM4Joy at Work is about creatingthe conditions that help peoplethrive in their work, especially intimes of change.THECO-FOUNDERSROXANNE BROWNRoxanne is the CEO of The Change Decision and achange expert. Her background is in workplace cultureand data risk management. Roxanne has led several C-Suite transitions and multi-million dollar changeprograms. She's coached countless leaders andleadership teams. Roxanne is also the former Presidentof the global Association of Change ManagementProfessionals (ACMP). ED COOKEd is the President of The Change Decision and adecision-making and analytics expert. He's led severallarge multi-national organizations inside two Fortune200 companies. Ed's PhD thesis focused on multi-stakeholder, high-risk decisions. He's also a formerNavy pilot and flight instructor, and a Visiting Professorof Analytics in the Robins School of Business at theUniversity of Richmond.
THE CHANGE DECISIONTEAM5ABOUTROXANNE BROWNC A R E E RBefore she began her professional career, Roxanneaccumulated a range of work experiences thatdeveloped her philosophies of what it means to workand find meaning in it -- from tobacco farming inConnecticut to a short stint as an Eastern Airlinesticket agent to travel agency work for the US AirForce in Germany, retail sales for Clinique andwaiting tables on Anna Maria island in Florida.Wrote A Guide to Joy at Work, the firstpublication from her company’s research on whatJoy at Work means to CEOs and seniorexecutives and how it manifests in theorganizations they lead.Established the Change Managementmethodology, practices and Community ofPractice for the Banking, Commercial, Tech andRisk Management divisions of Capital One.Developed a nationally-recognized, award-winning Corporate Relocation Program for Long &Foster Relocation Services in Richmond, Virginia.Consulted for the Richmond Legal Aid JusticeCenter to bring together a wide range ofstakeholders and modernize operations.As a University of Richmond Adjunct Professor,taught Change Management classes including forthe AHRMIO, an association for HR professionalsof international nonprofits focused on humanrights and well being.Later she became a Director in Corporate Relocationfor Long & Foster, and over three years she wasresponsible for moving hundreds of families into theRichmond area and maturing the technologyplatforms to support the business.She was then hired by Capital One where she spent16 years further developing her change expertisethrough leading several multi-million dollar changeprograms across all of the major divisions of thecompany. For several years she worked for their DataCenter of Excellence and developed a deepunderstanding of data, information and business risk.When she was hired, the company had 5000employees; when she departed it had 50K employees,making this her ideal “change laboratory” as she oftenreferred to it.A few career highlights:To contribute to the profession she loves, Roxannespent several years leading the Association of ChangeManagement Professionals (ACMP), a globalprofessional association. She served as Vice Presidentand then President for five years, and finally as PastPresident and advisor to the Board.Roxanne has a BA in Liberal Arts and LeadershipStudies from the University of Richmond. She's also ayoga instructor and loves exploring her river city tofind new hidden gems. During the pandemiclockdown, for stress relief she was prone tospontaneous dance especially to 80's techno-pop --something that continues today.Change is a normal part of thework experience. You may as wellbe great at it!Roxanne is an empathetic change leader driven tomake work a just and healthy place for everyone. She launched The Change Decision to make workpart of a life well-lived through how business changeis done, connecting change to joy at work. She has adeep expertise in Change Leadership, ChangeManagement and related disciplines.
THE CHANGE DECISIONTEAM6C A R E E REd graduated from Boston University with a BS inAerospace Engineering and was designated a NavalAviator soon after to fly the C-2A, Greyhound withthe Rawhides of VRC-40 in Norfolk, Virginia. He laterspent three years as an Instructor Pilot, teaching newpilots how to land on the aircraft carrier. At that time,he earned his MBA at Old Dominion University.After leaving the active Navy, Ed went to work forCorning in their Telecommunications Division, in theStrategic Analysis Group, looking for potential mergerand acquisition targets. Ed then became the productmanager with responsibility for the fiber opticconnector product line.Three years later, Ed was hired by Capital One todevelop business cases and perform strategicbusiness analysis for Tech projects. As Capital Onereentered banking through acquisitions, Ed ledprograms in all three efforts focusing on the post-merger integration covering Supply Chain, MortgageOperations and the Branch Network. As an officer in the Navy Reserves, in 2007 Ed wasmobilized and sent to Baghdad, Iraq where, as CDREd Cook, he worked in the Green Zone on theCommanding General’s Staff, at the time Gen. DavidPetraeus. Ed worked extensively on employmentinitiatives for the people of Iraq bridging across theUS military, the US Embassy and the Government ofIraq. His efforts helped direct billions of Governmentof Iraq money toward the creation of micro-loans tostart new businesses and training to improve jobskills. Ed was awarded the Bronze Star.Upon returning to the US, for the next few years Edled large process and infrastructure changes for theretail bank at Capital One. The culminating effort wasin leading the program to build coffee houses --Capital One Cafés -- in many of the top 20 citiesacross the country.Ed has served as Board Chair for the Visual ArtsCenter of Richmond, an arts education center, andthe Podium Foundation, an organization dedicated toimproving the writing ability of Richmond publicschool students. Today, he serves on the Board forCircle Center Adult Day Services.Ed recently completed his PhD in Systems Modelingand Analysis from Virginia Commonwealth Universityand now teaches undergraduate and graduate levelAnalytics at the Robins School of Business at theUniversity of Richmond. Ed is focused on making iteasy for leaders to understand how to lead peopleand make decisions under pressure. In addition to his work with The Change Decision, Edis seeking his seaplane pilot designations and dreamsof launching from his current home on the river toexplore the quiet beauty of the Chesapeake Bay.Throw in some fishing and from his point of viewthat's a perfect day!Every business change presents anopportunity to build trust andstrengthen relationships.ABOUTED COOKEd began his career as a Navy pilot and later ledseveral large organizations inside Fortune 200companies. He enjoys learning about complexchallenging things, which is why you’d see a stack ofbooks on his desk ranging from The HappinessHypothesis (Haidt) and Modern Monetary Fund andits Critics (Fullbrook and Morgan). Ed is drawn tohelp people self-discover who they are, what they’regood at and where they want to go in their careers.
7Moving from a group of individuals to a highly engagedteam was critical to our success. We were able to createan innovative and positive environment, which helped usfocus on meeting our aggressive goals.- Jodie, Operations executive, Fortune 200 bankGreat collaboration! A new way to think about leadingchange with empathy, and reach our business goals. I seenow how important it is to build real partnerships withchange influencers to get things done.- Scott, Senior Consultant, management consultant firmI've never had so much fun working so hard in my longtechnical career. We were aligned to common goals andthe level of commitment from us all was simplyunprecedented in our organization. Amazing esprit decorps!- Tom, Information Technology executive, Fortune 200bankIt's easy to find overwhelming, complex projects with littleclarity and vision. Leaders like Roxanne and Ed who helpprovide vision and clarity to teams going through change,and make the journey fun, are extremely rare.- Anurag, Senior Consultant, tech consulting firmWHAT PEOPLESAY...THE CHANGE DECISIONCLIENTS+1804-506-0403joy@thechangedecision.com313 East Broad St, Suite 203Richmond, VA 23219The Change Decision is a SWaMCertified, Woman-Owned, Veteran-Owned Business