Kon Apostolopoulos
Known for: Getting better engagement from workplaces Navigating Change: Kon Apostolopoulos and The Engagement Blueprint

Kon Apostolopoulos knows how to navigate change. As a leadership development coach, consultant, and speaker, Kon’s expertise lies in understanding how to get the most out of people – particularly in organisations that are struggling to see engagement.

Kon built his expertise for over three decades, and he established Fresh Biz Solutions to keep him busy consulting for corporates. Then Covid hit. Work became increasingly difficult – for everyone. But the pandemic also revealed the challenges organisations were facing with keeping, maintaining, and rewarding thriving workforces around the world. And with this challenge came an opportunity for Kon to use his skills, expand his reach, and have a bigger impact. 

First things first

“I was used to dealing with unexpected change,” explains Kon. “And everyone was seeking answers during the pandemic. We knew physically what was happening, but emotionally, we weren’t so sure.”

This inspired Kon to author his first book, 7 Keys to Navigating a Crisis with Dr. Elia Gourgouris. The speed to market for this publication was critical. In just 45 days, Kon’s book went from concept to print. “It came together as a reaction to the environment – that Great Pause of the pandemic. A lot of people in my line realised that we couldn’t do what we would normally do for a living. Instead of allowing that to cripple us, we used it to move forward.”

“It was a way for us to cope with things – and, we hoped, for others to cope too.”

7 Keys was a success, and Kon continued to help clients across the world navigate the crisis. But as 2020 slowly rolled by, the world’s reaction shifted from a crisis of pandemic to more existential territory. A wave of work-life reassessments and quitting swept the US and UK (and to a lesser extent, other Western countries) in what would be termed the ‘Great Resignation’. 

Kon could see the culprit: disengaged, underappreciated teams – something that couldn’t be fixed with bean bags or open-plan offices. It was time to take his thought leadership forward. But this time, a book could take longer. “The upheaval of 2020 meant imperfection was acceptable; we wanted something to move us forward. I wanted the second book to be an evergreen solution, rooted in the fundamentals of engagement to help transform organisations from toxic to thriving.”

A longer, harder journey

With a robust business model, and a lot of successful IP and methodologies already in play, Kon already had a lot of content to utilise. During the pandemic, he’d connected with Verity from our team, as a part of a group of thought leaders who’d regularly meet to share ideas, experiences, fears and strategies with the hope of helping others throughout the world. “I appreciate Verity as a person, and trust her as a professional,” says Kon. “So when the time came for me to write my second book, and I knew I wanted additional support, she was one of the first calls I made.”

Kon was part of the Better Book Project throughout 2023, meeting weekly with the cohort to discuss book ideas and make progress on his second book.

“I’m not going to lie: it’s not easy!” laughs Kon. “Especially when you’re working muscles you haven’t worked before. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to the end. But when you’ve got the right people around you, you believe you can.”

Kon compares the journey to a pilgrimage. “Everyone’s on their own stage of the same journey, and they’re all ready to collaborate and provide insights. Everyone’s open to help both ways. It really is priceless. It’s also a high-vulnerability experience. But you’re all on this path to Santiago de Compostela, and having a good cohort makes the difference.” 

A stronger Kon

The result was a sharpening of his own skills, too. As someone who “can’t just sit and write,” having a methodology and guidance was invaluable for Kon to transform his thinking into a high-impact book. “My thought leadership got more focused. What were fuzzy ideas became clear. It’s like studying for an advanced degree, or mastering a skill, because you have to teach it – you’re teaching your ideas to others, in a long format, and that makes your own thinking that much clearer.”

Kon’s quick to point out the support of his family throughout the process, noting that writing a book takes stubbornness and commitment, as well as energy, focus, and consideration. “A supportive family gives you the grace to get there. They were with me all the way to the finish line and beyond.”

Kon’s second book, The Engagement Blueprint: Building a Culture of Commitment and Performance launched at the start of 2024 on Amazon, and quickly became a #1 bestseller and a ‘hot’ item across a number of diverse categories. But it’s not just that accolade that’s proven The Engagement Blueprint’s worth. “Some people buy your book to support you as a colleague and friend – like they would if you’d sold handmade candles. But having people reach out to me and say, ‘I’ve read your book and it’s good. Can I order this for my team?’ is really validating.”

“The satisfaction of seeing the idea fully formed, as an actual book, is pretty amazing. And the reactions you get from other people – surprise, satisfaction, applause, criticism, ‘Damn, you wrote a book!’ and ‘This is really cool!’ – it’s all incredible.

Kon’s advice to aspiring authors? “Ask yourself, ‘Are you sure?’” he laughs. 

“There are a lot of ways to write a book. I’ve done two: fast to market, and the longer journey. If you’re passionate about what you believe in, then write a book. Writing The Engagement Blueprint was about getting my ideas out there, and in a way that would stand the test of time and show the evolution of my thinking”.

“Writing a book – creating a physical representation of your thoughts for all to see – is a very personal journey; but you don’t have to make that journey alone. If you’re committed, and feel strongly enough about something, then get a group of people around you. I loved having trusted companions who have done this repeatedly with success – their patience, the ability to safely fail when I need to, and the knowledge they’d pick me up when I need it.”