Episode 287

#287 Richard H. Carson: The 39-Step Playbook for Change That Doesn’t Collapse — Part One

Published on: 10th April, 2025

Richard Carson’s career didn’t unfold by design—it unfolded by curiosity. From planning cities to fixing broken systems, he’s never been afraid to say, “This isn’t working—let’s figure out why.” In Part 1, he shares how a job he hated, a grocery store run, and one very weird time-tracking system helped shape his unconventional path to becoming a change consultant.

Key Highlights of Our Interview:

From Archaeology to Urban Planning

“I thought I wanted to dig things up. Turns out, I just liked solving puzzles.” 

How he traded bones for blueprints.

What They Say Isn’t the Real Problem

“The issue they give you is rarely the one they have.” 

Why client work is part consulting, part detective work.

The Grocery Store Test

“If you can’t explain your plan in the produce aisle, it’s too complicated.” 

What small-town planning taught him about communication.

The Micromanagement Disaster

“They were tracking tasks every 15 minutes. People were losing their minds.” 

The worst system he ever saw—and why it failed.

Becoming a Consultant by Accident

“I hired consultants. They impressed me. So I quit and joined them.” 

When one audit changed his career.
_______________________

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Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Richard H. Carson

 

--Chief Change Officer--
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Chief Change Officer™: Ensemble
A public town hall for change, power, and reinvention
Chief Change Officer™: Ensemble is the free, public edition of Chief Change Officer™, the Global Top 1% flagship podcast created and hosted by Vince Chan.

Built from Vince’s one-on-one interviews with global leaders, scholars, founders, authors, researchers, executives, and change-makers, Ensemble brings together a powerful collection of conversations on work, leadership, reinvention, ambition, identity, and the forces reshaping modern life.

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