ENG2620. The X-Factor: Leading Change When the Path Is Unclear (FIN, EDG)

Change rarely fails because of strategy; it fails because of people dynamics leaders underestimate. In this session, global finance executive and author Pascal Kornfuehrer reframes change leadership through the lens of a modern business fable, revealing what truly happens inside teams when transformation begins. Drawing on his international CFO career, post-merger integration leadership, startup advisory work, and forthcoming book, Pascal introduces a practical, story-driven model for leading change when the path ahead is unclear.

Participants will explore why clarity is a leadership responsibility — not an outcome — how trust forms through vulnerability, and why resistance often signals misalignment rather than capability gaps. Through relatable characters and real-world lessons, Pascal offers a refreshing human perspective on transformation that goes far beyond traditional change management frameworks.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify why the change leader themself is the most critical success factor in change initiatives.
• Recognize the most important factors in change initiatives.