144. Breaking Resistance: Implementation Science, Leadership & Change from New Orleans Artwork

The Stepping In It Podcast with Renee Schulte & Jason Haglund

The Stepping In It Podcast is a weekly discussion of the latest news and trends in behavioral health policy development and practice. Each episode features interviews with experts from across the field, including policymakers, clinicians, researchers, and advocates. The podcast provides listeners with practical tips and resources for improving the quality and access to behavioral health care.

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The Stepping In It Podcast with Renee Schulte & Jason Haglund

144. Breaking Resistance: Implementation Science, Leadership & Change from New Orleans

June 02, 2026 • Renee Schulte

0:00 | 43:36

In this episode, Renee Schulte and Jason Haglund record live from New Orleans at the Associations of Paroling Authorities International conference, diving into conversations around evidence-based parole decision-making, implementation science, and organizational change. They explore why resistance to change is so common in healthcare, behavioral health, and justice systems, and how leaders can better navigate transformation efforts without losing sight of people, purpose, and outcomes. From productivity standards to questioning outdated systems, this episode highlights the importance of curiosity, adaptability, and focusing on what truly drives progress in complex organizations.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Why implementation science matters when introducing change in healthcare, behavioral health, and justice systems.
How resistance to change impacts organizations and why many initiatives fail.
The psychological and operational reasons people resist new systems and expectations.
Why leaders must challenge the status quo while remaining focused on outcomes and sustainability.
How productivity standards, role clarity, and organizational focus influence long-term success.

The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:09 - Introduction & Recording Live from New Orleans

00:02:18 - Whiny Farmer Intro & Conference Conversations

00:04:41 - Implementation Science with Dr. Alexandra Walker

00:07:12 - Why People Resist Change

00:10:06 - The Cognitive Load of Leaving Autopilot

00:12:34 - Organizational Resistance & Failure Rates

00:15:20 - Evidence-Based Parole Decision-Making Discussion

00:18:11 - Challenging the Status Quo in Systems

00:20:43 - Productivity Standards & Accountability Conversations

00:23:08 - The Importance of Role Clarity & Leadership Focus

00:25:31 - “What We Focus On, We Get More Of”