The Prevention Leaders Podcast
Navigating Change: Strategies for Prevention Leaders
39 min
Guest: Angie Asa-Lovstad
Listen on SpotifySummary
Dave Closson and Angie Asa-Lovstad discuss leading through uncertainty and forced change in prevention and behavioral health. They explore a Change Formula and connect it to tools like the Accountability Ladder, community readiness, and psychological safety. This episode offers practical guidance for teams navigating shifting funding, burnout, and unexpected changes.
Key takeaways
- If any part of the change formula is zero, resistance stays high, so diagnose where the "zero" is.
- Vision without first steps feels inspiring but overwhelming.
- First steps without vision feels busy but not meaningful.
- Data and story can help communities move from denial to vague awareness to readiness.
- Psychological safety is crucial during uncertainty, and leaders must model vulnerability first.
Show notes
In this episode, Dave Closson sits down with Angie Asa‑Lovstad (Asa Facilitation) for a timely conversation about what it takes to lead through uncertainty and forced change in prevention and behavioral health.
They unpack a simple but powerful Change Formula (dissatisfaction with the status quo → vision → first steps) and connect it to tools many prevention leaders already use, like the Accountability Ladder, community readiness, and psychological safety, to help teams move from stuck to forward motion.
If your coalition or prevention team is feeling the weight of shifting funding, burnout, and “the rug getting pulled out,” this one is an encouraging, practical reset.
Key takeaways (quick hit)
- If any part of the change formula is zero, resistance stays high. Diagnose where the “zero” is.
- Vision without first steps feels inspiring, but also overwhelming.
- First steps without vision feels busy, but not meaningful.
- Data + story can help communities move from denial → vague awareness → readiness.
- Psychological safety isn’t optional during uncertainty, leaders have to model vulnerability first.
- Different people process change differently (talking it out vs. quiet processing). Build space for both.
Practical tools mentioned
- Change Formula (dissatisfaction + vision + first steps)
- Accountability Ladder (victim mindset → ownership/can-do)
- Community readiness (e.g., denial / vague awareness as common starting points)
- Psychological safety (Amy Edmondson; Brene Brown referenced)
About Angie:
Angie Asa‑Lovstad brings 25+ years of prevention experience, from leading a local coalition to running a statewide coalition (AC4C) to founding Asa Facilitation. Angie specializes in facilitation as “the secret sauce” for community-level change and helps groups connect, spark, and ignite progress, especially when things feel stuck.
Connect with Angie
- Website: https://asafacilitation.com
- Resources: Look for Angie’s free downloads under the “Resources” section of the site.
Prevention is better together: if this episode helped you, subscribe to the Prevention Leaders Podcast and share it with one colleague who’s leading through change right now.
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