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Change Management for Digital Transformation

Optimize Adoption | Overcome Resistance | Drive Innovation

Next intake: February 26, 2026 at 9:00am to 4:30pm ET | In-Person - Ottawa, Ontario

See the Full Program Details

Course Overview

According to McKinsey, the failure rate for digital transformation initiatives ranges from 70% to 90%. 

Digital transformation in government isn’t just about new systems or processes - it’s about people. In an era of fiscal constraint, rising public expectations, and urgent pressure to modernize, public sector leaders are being asked to drive ambitious change while navigating resistance, fatigue, and complexity. Despite good intentions, many transformation efforts falter because the human side of change is underestimated or poorly led - resulting in stalled momentum, disengaged teams, and unrealized outcomes. 

This course focuses on the real work of change: leading people through it. Designed specifically for public sector leaders, it goes beyond frameworks and project plans to explore the mindsets, behaviors, and relational strategies that create lasting impact. Through reflection, discussion, and a real-world public sector case study, participants will deepen their ability to lead with purpose, engage stakeholders authentically, and sustain change in even the most challenging environments.

  • Lead with confidence during change:  

    Build the confidence to lead your team through uncertainty and disruption with clarity, calm, and purpose.

  • Connect strategy to people: 

    Learn how to turn big change plans into actions that people understand, support, and want to be part of. 

  • Get buy-In and shift mindsets: 

    Explore ways to deal with resistance, help people let go of the old way, and create space for new thinking. 

  • Balance care and accountability: 

    Find the right balance between supporting people through change and keeping things on track. 

  • Build change leadership skills: 

    Walk away with practical tools, stories, and tips to help you lead people through real transformation

Meet your Trainer

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Julie Leese

Transformation and Process Specialist

Julie Leese is a retired senior executive with over 35 years of leadership experience in the federal public service. Her career spanned several different departments and agencies - including National Defence, Public Works, Agriculture Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, Correctional Services Canada, and Transport Canada - where she became known for driving strategic transformation across programs, policy, and technology. Starting out in geomatics, Julie steadily built a reputation as a forward-thinking change agent, culminating in her role as Chief Digital Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister of Transformation at Transport Canada. There, she led an ambitious department-wide digital transformation agenda, advancing legislative reform, service modernization, data and analytics, technology innovation, and culture change.

Since retiring in 2021, Julie has re-engaged in the digital government space as a strategic advisor and consultant. Through her consulting practice, she supports public sector organizations as they navigate complex modernization challenges, drawing on her deep understanding of government, her systems thinking approach, and her passion for enabling change. She is particularly focused on leadership in transformation, change management, governance design, and aligning digital investments with real-world public outcomes.