Leading Change
(about a 6-minute read)“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. “
[John Wooden]
Life is change. If I asked you to reflect on the last six months, you could probably name several changes you’ve had to navigate. Change is inevitable — it touches all of us, often in ways we don’t initially recognize.
When I hear the phrase "leading change," one question keeps surfacing: Are we talking about leading through change or leading the change? It might seem like splitting hairs, but I believe these concepts, while related, take us on slightly different paths.
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For me, leading the change means actively creating transformation. It’s when you step back, assess a situation or system, and decide it needs a fundamental shift. It’s about creating something new, something different. This requires visionary thinking and the ability to see the big picture, often before others can. And, of course, you need influence — not just to advocate for the change but to galvanize others to take action and bring that vision to life.
Throughout my career — aside from building my own business — I’ve often found myself in positions where I’ve been tasked with leading through change. In these roles, someone else — a government, an organizational leader — has already set the vision and the plan. My job was to guide those effected by the plan through the change, ensuring it was implemented effectively and smoothly.
This reflection made me wonder: Is this true for most leaders? Are we more often leading through change, rather than initiating it ourselves?
No matter the type of change, certain skills have consistently helped me navigate the challenges inherent to each. I’d like to share these insights with you — read on to learn more.
Check your ego
Change brings uncertainty, often wrapped in layers of unknowns. Even with a guiding vision, the path forward can feel blurry, and as the saying goes, "the devil is in the details." If you’ve been entrusted with leading your team through change, you will likely face roadblocks, hurdles, and challenges that you didn’t foresee when you started.
I know the feeling well. I’ve felt immense pride whenever I was chosen to lead significant change initiatives. But two realizations kept me grounded:
I was not the first one to ever try this; and
I was not the smartest person in the room.
If you’ve been given the responsibility to lead through change, it's a testament to your abilities, skills, and competence. That’s something to celebrate. However, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to create everything from scratch. Many change initiatives have come before yours, and there is wisdom to be gained by learning from those experiences. Embracing the knowledge of others is not a sign of weakness; it’s a strength that can make you a more informed and effective leader.
This also requires you to be open to input and advice from those around you — your team members, peers, supervisors, mentors, or even friends and family. Staying curious, listening to diverse perspectives (especially those that challenge your own), can elevate your leadership. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. In fact, you’re not expected to be.
In these moments, I often felt like a conductor. I didn’t need to master every instrument in the orchestra. My role was to understand how each instrument — or voice — contributed to the overall symphony. A great leader has an ear for the undercurrents and dissonances, addressing them before they disrupt the harmony. Humility plays a crucial role here. When your ego takes over, it can get in the way of truly effective leadership.
So, as you navigate change, check your ego at the door. Lead with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to honestly hear from others. It will make all the difference.
Stay light on your feet
No matter how well you prepare or how thoughtful your decisions are, mistakes will happen. You might misjudge situations or be plain wrong. And that’s okay. I love the acronym F.A.I.L. because it reframes failure as a First Attempt In Learning.
Admitting when you’re wrong isn’t a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of strength. Change initiatives, by their very nature, are about venturing into uncharted territory. Expecting to get everything right on the first try is unrealistic and creates unnecessary pressure on both you and your team.
I once found myself leading an initiative where I had to prove that the new approach would save money and create a healthier, more resilient ecosystem compared to the existing structures. But how do you prove you prevented something from happening? How do you demonstrate that costly conflicts will be avoided, resources won’t be overexploited, or an ecosystem won’t be depleted? These are outcomes that only become apparent over time, not when you’re just establishing a new policy.
After many discussions with my team and peers, the best solution we found was to monetize the cost of “non-action.” We highlighted the shortcomings of the status quo to build a solid argument that change — imperfect as it might be — was still better than clinging to a failing system.
Was it perfect? No. Did it convince every critic? Also no. But it was a strong enough start, a foundation we could build upon and improve as more information and evidence became available.
In situations like these, honesty is key. If you don’t have all the answers yet, say so. If your suggestion isn’t perfect but represents your best effort given the circumstances, acknowledge that. And if there’s a chance your plan might not work, be upfront about it.
In my experience, being transparent builds more confidence within your team and peers than pretending to have it all figured out. What truly matters is your willingness to adjust rather than sticking with a plan out of fear of failure or embarrassment. This is where your ego comes into play again. When you do that, you’re "flexing your agility muscles"— a crucial skill in leadership. (For more about agility as a leadership skill I invite you to read my blog on the topic here).
It’s also helpful to establish some “rules of the game” with your team for how you’ll handle things when they don’t work out. What is your team’s culture around failure? Setting this foundation can help calm the waters when things get tough.
Remember, failure isn’t the end — it’s just the beginning of learning and growth. And in leadership, that’s a strength worth embracing.
Stages of Change
I have often thought that what change looks like, and how it is experienced by people isn’t that different from the stages of grief. The five stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. If you have ever been part of a significant change initiative, I’m sure you can relate to these stages. And you will likely have experienced behaviours from people impacted by change that are akin to denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
Another parallel to grieving is that not everyone who is experiencing change goes through all the stages. And they are not experienced in a particular order. Experiencing change is unique for each person that’s going through the process.
As a leader it is important to acknowledge the different emotions that can percolate as a result of a significant change — whether that is a change in governance structure, decision making power, or work environment. Be empathetic. You don’t have to adopt other people’s feelings and live them as if they were your own. But by creating a psychologically safe space for your team to share their experience and emotions, to unearth the hopes and aspirations as well as the worries and fears, you will build resilience amongst your team and equip them to cope with change. One way to do that is to be relatable. Sharing your own thoughts and emotions with your team will build trust for them to do the same.
It can be messy
Whether you are leading the change or leading through change, it is important to realize that you don’t have to have all the answers. You are creating something new and different, and you are likely taking some risk. That can be both exciting and terrifying. Trust your intuition. And take a moment to consider whether you believe you are well equipped, or need some help to strengthen your leadership skills.
Want to explore your strengths and areas of growth with regards to leading change? I would love to hear from you. Book a free 30-minute discovery call by using this link to discuss how my programs can support your needs and desires.
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