How Inovalon Grew a Culture of Agility and Ownership
case study
How do you retrain a leadership team to change from reactive decision-making to collaborative, curious and efficient ownership?
Old habits die hard, but rather than accepting the status quo, or reorganizing the team, Karly Rowe, then president of Inovalon’s Provider Business decided to invest in a targeted development program to transform the culture of her senior leadership team.
“I lead a 450-person business unit within Inovalon, spanning sales, product, customer support, client success, implementation, and training. I engaged Roger to help us navigate a significant cultural and business transformation — one that required us to reimagine how we collaborate internally and engage externally with our customers.”
- Karly Rowe, President Provider Business, Inovalon
Inovalon’s Provider Business team was performing successfully, but in order to take the business to the next level, they needed to change how leaders were able to work cross-functionally with greater speed, agility and less friction. It was time to go beyond what had been done in the past and rely on collaborative strengths across the organization.
Vivero Leadership was brought in as a trusted partner and catalyst for change, tasked with designing and executing a targeted development program for Inovalon’s senior leaders.
In partnership with Roger and Vivero Leadership, Inovalon’s Provider Business senior leaders proved that by focusing on each leader’s posture and their ability to listen well is critical for a successful growth mindset, culture transformation and the kind of change that takes a business to the next level.
Principle 1 - Adaptive Design
Unlike traditional, rigid training, Roger Johnson’s approach prioritizes continuous alignment with a team’s current reality. The process is defined by constant feedback and real-time adaptation.
The Intervention: Every session was thoughtfully designed and flawlessly executed, blending new concepts with interactive discussion, hands-on application, and structured reflection.
The Feedback Code: Roger consistently gathered feedback from Karly Rowe, her executive assistant, and participating senior leaders. He then incorporated this feedback to refine and evolve the program. This ensured the content remained relevant, addressed immediate leadership challenges, and drove maximum commitment from the participants. He exemplified the same posture and behaviors in his own leadership as he was teaching them the team.
Principle 2 - Shifting Mindsets
Roger’s exceptional facilitation focused on creating a safe space that encouraged deep behavioral and communication shifts among leaders. His sessions were the mechanism for aligning the senior team with the desired cultural outcome: moving from defensiveness to curiosity.
Roger’s ability to read the room, adjust his facilitation approach, and bring out the best in each participant is truly exceptional. This skill was crucial in fostering a new set of shared leadership behaviors:
Approaching challenges with curiosity rather than defensiveness.
Asking better questions.
Inviting diverse perspectives.
Viewing setbacks as opportunities to learn.
The result was a foundational change in the leaders’ default responses, making them more receptive to organizational change, innovation and collaborating with others.
Principle 3 - Measurable Ownership
The program’s impact was both visible and lasting, establishing a clear connection between the cultural intervention and tangible business performance improvements. Leaders became noticeably more collaborative, accountable, and innovative.
The Tangible Example of Ownership:
A significant backlog issue faced the Provider Business. Initial projections estimated that resolving the issue would require a 3–5 person team working over six months.
Leaders who had participated in Roger’s sessions leveraged their new framework of ownership and accountability. They quickly proposed—and delivered—a plan that resolved the entire issue in three weeks.
This radical acceleration was a clear demonstration of the agility and ownership that the program was designed to instill.
“The impact has been both visible and lasting. I now hear my leaders approaching challenges with curiosity rather than defensiveness — asking better questions, inviting diverse perspectives, and viewing setbacks as opportunities to learn. They have become more collaborative, accountable, and innovative. One tangible example: when faced with a backlog issue that was estimated to require a 3–5 person team over six months, two leaders who had participated in Roger’s sessions proposed — and delivered — a plan to resolve it in three weeks.”
- Karly Rowe, President Provider Business, Inovalon
Principle 4 - Embedding Influence
The transformation established a new baseline for how work gets done. Roger Johnson’s influence became an embedded part of the organizational DNA, continuing well beyond the formal sessions.
The New Norm: Roger's influence is evident in how the leaders think, communicate, and lead—together. He transitioned from a program facilitator to a long-term thought partner, helping to ensure the gains made were not temporary.
“While our transformation continues, Roger’s influence is evident in how our leaders think, communicate, and lead — together. He has been a trusted thought partner and catalyst for change, and I wholeheartedly recommend him and Intent Quest for any organization seeking to strengthen its leadership, culture, and performance.”
- Karly Rowe, President Provider Business, Inovalon
Summary
Vivero Leadership’s approach helped Inovalon’s leaders embrace a new mindset and stance. Curiosity and collaboration have helped them reach new levels of innovation and efficiency, working better together as a team and serving their clients with increased speed and satisfaction.
Want to align your leadership culture with strategic initiatives like Inovalon did? We can help.
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We’ll identify the specific situation your team is facing and create a plan to get you moving forward. You’ and your leaders will get the clarity you need to lead with true confidence and multiply your impact.
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