Power Mapping for Change Leaders: Tiziana Casciaro

Here are three questions that arise from this Change Signal conversation with Tiziana Casciaro: • Where does power really sit in your system? • Why don’t people use your “open door”? • When is resistance a skill gap—and when is it a coalition fight? Most change efforts in big organizations falter for a quiet reason: leaders treat change as a plan, when it’s actually a power-and-relationships story. In this episode, Tiziana Casciaro — professor at the Rotman School of Management and co-author of Power, for All — helps make power discussable again. Not as a dirty word, but as energy: the force that moves decisions, resources, and attention. Tiziana introduces power mapping as a practical discipline. Instead of relying on org charts or formal authority, she explains how to notice who controls what the organization values, how informal influence flows, and why leaders often already know who matters — they just haven’t been paying attention. The conversation goes deep into the relational labour of change: the listening, curiosity, trust-building, and everyday conversations that most change models ignore. Tiziana challenges the myth of the “open door,” showing why leaders often have to go to people rather than waiting for people to come to them. Finally, we get precise about resistance. Sometimes resistance signals a lack of skills, resources, or a path to success — and leaders can address it by helping people thrive in the new world. Other times, resistance reflects a deeper power struggle, where progress requires building coalitions and making tough calls. Knowing the difference is what separates stalled change from momentum. 🎯 What You’ll Learn (from Tiziana’s lens) 00:00 – Introduction: why power matters in change 01:30 – Power as energy, not a dirty word 04:10 – Power mapping: who controls what matters 06:45 – Why org charts miss real influence 09:30 – Power mapping is relational work 12:40 – “Who is admired around here?” 15:30 – Snowballing the informal network 18:10 – Do people come to you for advice? 21:20 – If you’re not a hub of influence 24:40 – Agitator, innovator, orchestrator 27:30 – Why agitators get resisted 31:20 – The myth of the open door 34:40 – Innovation beyond the lone genius 38:00 – Orchestration over heroics 42:10 – Resistance as a skill gap 46:30 – When resistance becomes a coalition fight 51:10 – Who doesn’t belong in the next system 54:30 – Making power practical for change leaders 💡 About Tiziana Casciaro Tiziana Casciaro is a professor of organizational behavior at the Rotman School of Management and a leading researcher on power, networks, and leadership. Her work focuses on how influence actually works inside organizations, why informal relationships matter more than formal structures, and how leaders can mobilize people and resources to drive meaningful change. 👉 Resources & Links Subscribe to the Change Signal newsletter https://www.thechangesignal.com More episodes ‪@ChangeSignal‬ 🏷️ Tags #TizianaCasciaro, #ChangeSignal #PowerMapping, #ChangeLeadership, #OrganizationalChange, #SystemsThinking, #LeadershipDevelopment, #Resistance, #Transformation