Leading through change isn’t a theoretical exercise. It’s a lived, daily experience — and often an isolating one.

Most leaders live in the gap between expectation and execution as they liase between the C-suite decision makers and the frontline workers they manage. This involves implementing decisions they didn’t make, explaining changes they’re still processing and maintaining operations while absorbing the added weight of change. Yet the effort often goes unseen and underappreciated.

The exhaustion leaders feel is not a sign of inadequacy. It reflects the true magnitude of the responsibility. But within that responsibility lies opportunity.

To lead change effectively, a leader must start with themselves. A grounded, focused leader can approach change from a big-picture perpsective, not only preparing themselves and their team for the change in front of them, but preparing them to better address future changes as well.

Leading Self

Change can naturally trigger stress responses: panic, frustration, doubt. The urgency around change often pushes leaders to immediately communicate with their team and start problem solving. But, left unchecked, a leader’s emotions around the change can spill into their communication and impact how their team experiences change.

When a leader walks into a team meeting stressed and overwhelmed, their team members feel that. The message they receive is that this change is going to cause them that same stress. They start questioning the reasoning behind the change, side conversations begin, and anxiety and discontent brew.

Leaders must take a moment to pause and reflect on their own needs before engaging their team around the change. Here are a few measures you can take as a leader to be intentional about processing change:

• Give yourself time to process what’s happening: Not only are you leading a change, but you’re also experiencing it. Don’t skip over your own concerns or questions around change. Write down what you’re thinking, where you are aligned with next-level leadership and where you still need to gain buy-in.
• Clarify what you know and what remains unclear: You are the connection between next-level leadership and frontline team members. You need to go into any communication with your team with absolute clarity. If you’ve identified any areas where you have questions or concerns, share them with your leader and get aligned on how you will address those issues with your team. That’s the only way you can continue that alignment down to the people you lead.
• Find a confidant: Leaders are people with complex emotions, past experiences and dreams for the future. It’s not realistic that you will be able to completely reconcile every change and fully embrace it. That’s why it’s important that you have a coach or peer with whom you can openly express your emotions. Ideally this person is outside of your organization who isn’t as deeply invested or impacted by the situation. This person can give you the chance to express your true feelings and concerns, but also ground you in the present. You should leave these conversations focusing on what is in your control — your own actions and how you show up.

Adaptability thrives when stress is acknowledged and managed, not ignored. Use self-regulation to fuel clear thinking and deliberate action so your team can anchor in your steadiness.

Build Adaptability as a Practice

When leaders regulate themselves they set themselves up for success in communicating with clarity, distributing ownership and modeling thoughtful adaption. They do more than manage change. They cultivate teams that know how to move through it — steady, capable and confident in their ability to respond.