Behind the Growth
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Behind the Growth
Mike Bruno on Overcoming Change Management Friction
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Mike Bruno, AVP of Digital at Co-operators, joins Imran Mian on Behind the Growth to unpack what digital transformation really looks like inside a large, regulated financial services organization and why it’s far more than launching a new platform or redesigning a website. Mike explains how enterprise transformation is layered, closely governed at the executive level, and ultimately anchored to one outcome: improving the client experience through coordinated, enterprise-wide change.
Early in the conversation, Mike digs into one of the most persistent friction points in transformation efforts: change management. Drawing on experience across multiple organizations, he explains why resistance is often rooted not in unwillingness, but in uncertainty, loss of control, and unclear communication. He outlines practical approaches leaders can take, like repetition, tailored messaging, and direct one-on-one conversations, to help teams adapt without burning trust or momentum.
Mike then shares a concrete example from a CMS implementation that nearly stalled when legacy applications surfaced unexpected dependencies. Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution, his team slowed down, brought stakeholders together, and made pragmatic trade-offs, sunsetting some applications, creating temporary fixes for others, and preserving trust across the enterprise while keeping the project on track.
Mike also shares his views on digital hygiene, prioritization, and leadership under uncertainty. He breaks down why clear communication, disciplined execution, and knowing how much effort is “enough” are foundational to staying aligned in complex environments. Throughout the discussion, Mike emphasizes practical decision-making over theory, offering grounded lessons for leaders navigating legacy platforms, constrained budgets, and constant change.
Mike dives into topics like:
- Enterprise change beyond platforms
- Change management as transformation friction
- Hidden legacy system dependencies
- Digital hygiene in execution
- Prioritization under constant change
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