70% of all change initiatives fail, costing companies millions of dollars in lost time, productivity, and money.
After 30 years leading transformative change communications programs, I figured out how to beat the odds. I’m here to teach emerging communications leaders my 4C’s Framework so you too can create change programs that work and save you time, money, and effort in the process.
When you’re ready to make change work for you, in your career or personal life, I can show you how.
About Mary Lou
Mary Lou Panzano is an award-winning communications executive with 30 years of experience leading successful programs to support transformational change initiatives at global companies.
She knows emerging communications leaders face the stark reality that 70% of change initiatives companies implement fail, and as a result, they are looking for a more effective way to create change communications programs that beat the odds. Drawing from her experience and desire to help, she took to the stage to reach as many employee communicators as possible.
Her talks reveal how to better lead through complex change projects, create more effective communications programs that work while saving time, money, and effort, and apply behaviors that help people advance in their careers and lives.
Mary Lou is a highly-sought-after speaker, admired leader, educator, coach, and author. Her 4C’s Framework and article series, “The 11 Principles of Prosperity,” are considered gems in the industry and have inspired her today to pursue her passion to teach others how to prosper and make change work for them.
Mary Lou has helped emerging communications leaders elevate their game, build leadership skills that give them a noticeable competitive edge, and advance in their careers and lives.
If you are looking for someone to enhance your company’s ability to make change initiatives work and help your emerging leaders drive more effective communications programs to do that, Mary Lou is the answer for your next event.
Mary Lou's Talks
Creating Change Communications Programs that Work
In the world of big business, a startling truth emerging communications leaders face is 70% of all change programs fail, costing businesses millions of dollars in lost time, money, and productivity. The difference between those programs and successful ones lies in the ability to lead and create transformative change communications programs that beat the odds.
To better manage the complexities of leading programs like these, you need to adopt the 4C’s Framework and its supporting behaviors so you can create winning change communications strategies for your clients that transform the business while saving time, money, and effort.
Change is Constant. Why Do We Fail at It?
Emerging leaders must face the fact that 70% of all change programs fail and the reality that they are partially to blame. How you manage change for yourself affects how you lead others through change.
Drawing on 40 years of success in global corporations and in life, through storytelling, engaging dialogue, and humor, you’ll discover how to apply my 4C’s Change Framework along with new paradigms and practical tips for managing change that can help you lead yourself and your teams better and advance in your career and life.
Agencies: To Partner or Not?
With pressures mounting on budgets and getting value out of every cent spent on change communications programs, emerging leaders often face this decision: engage an agency or not? The time and effort put into selecting, onboarding, and working with agencies is significant, as is the cost. But so is assuming you and your team can handle the complexities of major change initiatives on your own. Knowing how to assess the value you’re getting out of the relationship can be daunting. Learn how using my proprietary C.A.V. Profile can help.
The C.A.V. Profile is a framework you can apply to assess agencies consistently, while saving time, money, and energy for the entire communications function.
Our Happy Clients
Amanda Feliu
Group VP, Communications, rf.engage, A Ruder Finn Company
“Thank you again, Mary Lou, for spending the time with us and sharing your insights -- for sure a highlight from the day! I'd tell you I was engaged, and you brought about a paradigm shift in how we'll communicate, but I'd much rather "use my weekend words" and tell you, YOU ROCK!”
Stacy Quinn
Communications Director, Merck, & Founder of My Stroke of Hope
“Mary Lou is an inspiring speaker who perfectly pairs her life experiences and successful career as an international communications leader to provide actionable takeaways. Her content is tailored to both the hearts and minds of her audience. Her passion for helping people and sharing her decades of communications expertise shines through in her talks.”
Lucia Huonker
PMP®, PMI-ACP®, MSA-HRM, A- CSM®, Principal Scrum Master, Sabre Corporation.
“Thank you for sharing your experiences. I really enjoyed the presentation. You did a wonderful job sharing how the 4Cs can be applied at work and to real world situations. It was motivating, practical, and you communicated these principles so well.”
Alexandra Borchard
Director of Internal Communications, Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
“Mary Lou has tremendous expertise in corporate communications and change management. Besides being the consummate professional, she is lovely to work with, and her insights, flexibility and recommendations will resonate no matter your situation. You are guaranteed to learn, laugh, and make an impact.”
“Anticipating and responding to change will remain a critical skill for leaders moving forward. I had the honor of seeing Mary Lou’s methodology in practice at Bayer; it is highly effective and provides leaders with practical ways in which they can manage and respond to challenges or barriers while bringing staff along. I would highly recommend her approach to any leader.”
Nichelle Howe
Chief People and Equity Officer
Great Oaks Legacy Charter School
“Nothing changes if nothing changes.”
Mary Lou Panzano