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The Real Work of Change: Leading People Through Digital Transformation in the Public Sector

Optimize Adoption | Overcome Resistance | Drive Innovation 

Next intake: May 14, 2026 at 9:00am to 4:30pm AST | In-Person - Halifax, Nova Scotia

See the Full Program Details

Course Overview

According to McKinsey, 70–90% of digital transformation initiatives fail. In government, transformation isn’t just about systems or processes—it’s about people. Under fiscal constraint, rising public expectations, and pressure to modernize, many efforts stall because the human side of change is underestimated, leading to resistance, fatigue, and lost momentum.

The Atlantic Region reflects this challenge. Nova Scotia’s OPOR initiative shows how ambitious projects can stall without strong change-management foundations. In New Brunswick, the success of the Housing for All strategy depends on modernized data and reporting, yet two years in, the Auditor General reported no clear digital reporting mechanism to track outcomes. These examples underscore a common pattern: transformation fails not because of technology, but because organizations are not equipped to manage the change around it.

This course addresses that gap. Designed for public sector leaders, it focuses on leading people through change—exploring the mindsets, behaviours, and relational strategies that create lasting impact. Through reflection, discussion, and a real-world case study, participants will strengthen their ability to lead with purpose, engage stakeholders authentically, and sustain change in complex 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.