Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.
-John C. Maxwell
Hi, I'm Kris Jennings.
I help change agents and leaders learn how to make organizational change faster and easier by growing their influence.
Early career: Change from the inside of organizations
For 17 years as an employee at Norwest/Wells Fargo and Cargill, I supported leaders in driving organizational change. I applied my journalism degree to help them tell stories that inspired employees and customers.
In 2006, while working at Cargill, the organization started a global business transformation effort. I seized the opportunity to work alongside world-class practitioners to build the organization's change practices and skills.
I facilitated the global change network, designed self-paced learning modules, and contributed communications thought leadership to the proprietary change methodology.
When I was laidoff in 2012, I had no idea that my work and life would change dramatically.
Behavior design within organizational change
Just two weeks after being laidoff, I landed my first consulting client: Best Buy. While I wasn't expecting to start my own business, it quickly led to more and bigger change challenges. I remembered how much I love freedom and variety, too. 🧡
I continued supporting large enterprises during complex and strategic technology projects (ECMC Group, The Toro Company, and Apogee Enterprises).
But a fun opportunity presented itself: Using behavior design to improve health using new digital tools (AI was in its infancy in 2018!) I led the consumer experience design, product naming, and branding for four national product launches with the innovation teams at UnitedHealth Group and Optum.
I also went deeper by studying with BJ Fogg, founder of the Stanford Design Lab, to learn more about how emotions influence actions (i.e., why people find it hard to try another weight loss program).
Designing these programs required me to find ways to make behavior change easier, faster, and delivered repeatedly at scale nationally.
Combined, the experiences I designed helped more than a million people change.
Now: Designing to influence change
Across three decades of working with organizations during transformational change, I noticed some patterns about what the best leaders do consistently. In 2024, I wrote down what I've learned in my first book, Inspired by Fear: Becoming a Courageous Change Leader.
Now, I'm applying my deep expertise to create a rare guided on-the-job development experience for change agents and leaders. The Designed to Influence program helps change agents and leaders grow their influence using my proprietary changecapableTM method.
I share key concepts and teach techniques in my speaking and workshops to help organizations and teams spark momentum.
In a new era exploding with technology, I relish the opportunity to apply it in ways that helps more humans grow.
Life passions
I pursue my passions for health and creativity by exploring new places several times a year. My recent trips include swimming the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia with my oldest son, making encaustic art in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, yoga in the jungle of Costa Rica, and beautiful southern France with my husband. Wherever we go, we eat well! (Food is art + love.)
Writing will always be a core part of how I share my expertise. Read about making change easier in my book, subscribe to receive articles, or connect on social media.
Join me in making change in our world more positive for humans. 🧡
