An Interview with Carla Nell:
Leading Through Change Means Bringing People Along With You

Your career has spanned the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. How did your career begin, and what has guided your journey as a leader?

I began my career in the private sector, working closely with clients to navigate complex situations where problem-solving and leadership quickly became central to my work. At the time, I expected my path would lead to academia and was working on my PhD thesis, but shifts in Ontario’s political landscape at the time and growing engagement with school boards and municipalities led me to step away from academia and begin a career in the private sector as a consultant to government before eventually moving fully into the public sector.

When I reflect on my career, what has guided me most is a desire to make a meaningful impact and to contribute to something larger than myself. That motivation has stayed constant, regardless of the sector or role. Leadership, for me, is rooted in genuine caring. Caring about the work, the cause, and the people involved.

I have always believed in leaving organizations and communities better than when I found them. That means focusing on trust, listening deeply, and empowering others to contribute. Across sectors, collaboration has been essential. The environments we operate in are increasingly complex, and progress depends on our ability to work together, build real partnerships, and create shared accountability.

Having worked across different contexts has helped me challenge assumptions and approach problems in new ways. I see myself as a lifelong learner, and that curiosity has been central to navigating change and continuing to grow.

Caring and curiosity has come up often in how you describe your work. How have those elements shaped your leadership style and the decisions you make?

Caring is foundational to how I lead. It is what allows me to show up with authenticity and sincerity, and it brings real passion to the work. I have always believed it is important to ask yourself whether the outcomes an organization is working toward truly matter. When you care deeply about the work and the cause, you bring your best, and people respond to that.

Curiosity strengthens that caring and shapes how I lead day to day. I find it shows up most in how I listen. I try to approach conversations with a genuine interest in understanding what matters to others, rather than assuming I already have the answer. It pushes me to ask questions, to seek clarity, and to stay open, especially in complex or unfamiliar situations.

Curiosity has also influenced the choices I have made throughout my career. It has encouraged me to take risks, to step into new environments, and to lean into what I do not yet know. I am comfortable saying, “I don’t understand this yet,” and then doing the work to learn. That willingness to listen, learn, and build relationships with people who have deep expertise has been essential to my growth as a leader.

Together, caring and curiosity influence how I advocate and how I make decisions. They give me the confidence to speak up for what I believe is right, even when it is uncomfortable, and these attributes keep me focused on long-term impact rather than short-term outcomes. I think a lot about legacy and whether the work we are doing contributes to lasting well-being for people, organizations, and communities. It’s a notion that keeps me grounded and committed to outcomes that outlive me.

You’ve led teams through significant periods of change. What have you learned about guiding organizations through uncertainty?

I have often found myself leading during periods of significant change, whether that change was internally driven or shaped by external forces. In those moments, people are looking to leaders for focus, clarity, and confidence.

Communication is central to that, but not in the way it is often described. People sometimes over-index on the words they choose, assuming the most effective communication is about finding the perfect phrasing. When communication feels overly scripted, it rarely resonates. Strong communication starts with active listening and a genuine effort to understand, because what matters far more is whether the message has been internalised. From there, it becomes less about specific words and more about conveying a message in a way that is authentic, accessible, and sincere, delivered with passion and conviction.

Leading through change also means bringing people along. Because there is rarely a clearly defined playbook, collaboration becomes essential. Change requires innovation, and not just in the narrow sense of new tools or technology, but in thinking differently and better about how work gets done. Creating space for dialogue, focusing on outcomes rather than tasks, and harnessing collective strengths helps build trust and momentum in uncertain times.

I also believe that wherever change exists, risk lives. In stable periods, risks can sometimes be glossed over, but during change they can quickly become an organization’s greatest vulnerability. Leaders need to stay alert to emerging risks and gaps and think deliberately about how they will be mitigated before they undermine long-term success.

Overall, leading through uncertainty requires discipline and focus. In our busy and dynamic environments, it is important to be clear about what matters most. You have to stay open to change and demonstrate agility, while also acknowledging that you cannot do everything. Being judicious about where you invest time, energy, and resources, and staying the course on what truly matters, is critical to navigating change successfully.

Collaboration and relationship-building seem central to your success. How do you approach building true partnerships, especially in complex environments?

Listening is always the starting point. When you take the time to understand what matters to others, you are far more likely to find common ground and build solutions together.

True partnership also requires shared accountability. People need to feel invested in outcomes, not just consulted along the way. I’ve found that trust and respect grow when individuals are encouraged to challenge assumptions and contribute meaningfully.

Over time, these practices lead me to authentic, enduring relationships. Those kinds of relationships are essential, particularly in complex environments where collaboration across organizations and sectors is necessary to make progress on the shared challenges we tend to come across these days.

The energy sector is central to Canada’s future, and Ontario is often described as having an energy “superpower.” What excites you about the sector’s potential?

What excites me most about the energy sector right now is the powerful convergence we are seeing between energy, the economy, and the environment. These areas are no longer separate conversations. They are deeply interconnected, and together they create a significant opportunity for economic growth, environmental protection, and social well-being.

Ontario is uniquely positioned in this moment. We have one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world, alongside a strong track record of reliability and affordability. That combination matters. It is attracting significant investment and positioning the province as a place where businesses can grow, innovate, and plan for the long term with confidence. Our electricity system has become a true competitive advantage.

Electrification and decarbonization are also central to this opportunity. As demand for electricity continues to grow, we have the chance to support economic development while also reducing emissions and protecting the environment. That balance is critical, and it is something Ontario is well equipped to deliver.

I am also deeply encouraged by the growing leadership of Indigenous communities within the energy sector. Indigenous leaders and communities bring a long-term perspective grounded in stewardship of the land, along with values that help balance economic, environmental, and social priorities. Their leadership is essential, not only to building a clean and reliable energy future, but also to advancing reconciliation in a meaningful way.

Taken together, these strengths give Ontario the ability to drive growth, create jobs, and deliver lasting benefits for communities across the province. There is real momentum building in the sector, and with it, an opportunity to make a long-term, positive impact on society as a whole.

How is AI beginning to change the energy landscape, and what does it mean for how the sector plans for the future?

AI is already having a measurable impact on electricity demand, particularly through the growth of data centers and AI-enabled services. These technologies require significantly more energy, which has implications for long-term planning.

For the sector, this means anticipating future needs and staying ahead of demand to ensure reliability and safeguard affordability. It reinforces the importance of proactive planning and investment, rather than reacting after pressures emerge.

You’ve said that “strategy today is operations tomorrow.” How do you help people across the organization understand their role in bringing strategy to life?

I use that phrase intentionally to help people see that strategy is not abstract or separate from their day-to-day work. Strategy is about ensuring an organization remains relevant in a dynamic and changing environment by avoiding complacency and positioning for long-term success. That only happens when strategy is understood as something living and ongoing, not a document that sits on a shelf.

Not everyone sees their role directly tied to a strategic initiative or pillar, and that is where operational excellence becomes so important. How we perform today creates the capacity for strategic progress tomorrow. When people show up and deliver their work with excellence, they enable the organization to dedicate time, energy, and resources to longer-term priorities. Without that strong operational foundation, strategy quickly gets crowded out by day-to-day issues.

A big part of my role is helping people connect the dots between their individual contributions and the broader direction of the organization. We talk about strategy often and intentionally. We hold regular all-employee events and provide ongoing updates that explain where we are going, why it matters, and how progress is being made. These are not one-time conversations because we want strategy to be a constant dialogue.

Leaders play a critical role in making strategy accessible and relevant. By reinforcing how individual performance contributes to collective progress and by recognizing that contribution, we build alignment, buy-in, and a shared sense of purpose. When people understand that their work today shapes what the organization can achieve tomorrow, strategy becomes something everyone owns.

What habits help foster strategic thinking and resilience, and what advice would you give to those early in their careers as they build confidence and find their unique value?

One of the most important habits I have developed, and one I encourage in others, is the discipline of stepping back to look at the bigger picture. It is easy to get consumed by the work that is right in front of you, but strategic thinking requires distance. It means asking why, not just how, and thinking across multiple time frames rather than focusing only on the immediate moment.

I also believe in being intentional about understanding what is changing around you. Paying attention to signals in the environment and distinguishing between what you can influence and what you need to adapt to helps build both strategic thinking and resilience. It shifts your mindset from reacting to events to responding with purpose.

Focusing on outcomes rather than tasks is another critical practice. When you anchor your work in outcomes, you are better able to prioritize, make thoughtful trade-offs, find efficiencies and direct your energy where it matters most, especially in busy and fast-moving environments.

For those early in their careers, I often suggest starting with self-awareness. Take time to reflect on your unique value proposition. What is the quality, skill, or perspective you bring that adds something distinctive? It might be technical expertise, but it could also be the ability to connect with people, bring clarity to complexity, or ask thoughtful questions. Anchoring yourself in that strength can be a powerful source of confidence.

At the same time, be kind to yourself. Everyone has vulnerabilities and areas they are still developing, even the people we admire most. Confidence grows by focusing on strengths, embracing challenges, and giving yourself grace along the way.

Strategic thinking is not reserved for senior leaders. It is a habit that can be built over time by consciously zooming out, asking why, and considering long-term impact. When that mindset is paired with curiosity and self-awareness, it enables meaningful and enduring contribution.