EP#119: The change leader with Colonel Jennifer Harris
On this episode, Colonel Jennifer Harris from the Australian Army gives us a masterclass in managing change in complex organisations, based on her experience with the Army’s Digital Twin.
Change can be difficult – as individuals, we prefer stability and predictability. Particularly when working in large organisations, it can be both an opportunity and a great challenge to align everyone to achieve a common change goal. But the Australian Army’s ongoing Digital Twin project showcases how it can be done successfully.
On this episode of Work with Purpose, Colonel Jennifer Harris explores how the Army, in response to the Defence Strategic Review, established a system that would enable the organisation to rapidly identify risks to warfighting and future capability – the Army’s Digital Twin. Together with host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, Jen talks about the intricacies of managing change at this scale and what theories and frameworks helped her keep people at the centre of transformation.
Key tips
- Working on big projects requires you to iterate all the time – it is a live activity.
- Whilst tools and applications are important for any transformation to succeed, you need to focus on the people who will use them.
- People don’t maliciously resist change – they’re just invested in the current system. Shifting mental models can take time but is worth the investment.
Show notes
Guest
Colonel Jennifer Harris
Colonel Jennifer Harris joined the Australian Army in 1996 and has enjoyed a diverse career, incorporating operational military service with regimental, staff, engineering, and representational appointments. She has worked across Australia and abroad including the United Kingdom, Papua New Guinea, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
She has enjoyed regimental postings at all levels and was privileged to Command the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, 3rd Brigade, where she led Army’s response to Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017. Complementing these appointments are diverse staff roles working with great teams across the enterprise, whole of government, and internationally. As Brigade Major 6th Combat Support Brigade, she was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross for leading their transformation post operations in the Middle East area of Operations.