Strategic change within a company is almost inevitable. Even the best-laid plans can be thrown out the window when shifts in the market, unexpected competitors, or changes in customer behavior dictate that a new direction is needed. As a leader, it's always part of your job to pivot and to help your team do the same. But it’s easier said than done.
Change can be extremely taxing on a team, especially if it happens consistently. According to Gallup, 7 in 10 employees have experienced some form of disruptive change in the past year, and those who did were significantly more likely to feel burned out and disconnected from their organization. When these feelings fester, they can majorly impact morale, productivity, and ultimately, turnover.
As a leader, your response to change can be the difference between your team feeling overwhelmed or motivated and resilient. Remember that your job isn’t to prevent or shield your team from change; it’s to guide your people through it with clarity, empathy, and purpose.
So, how can you help your team navigate new directions without losing morale or momentum?
Process it yourself first
When your leadership team announces that your strategy is changing, take time to work through your own reaction before you communicate it to your team. Even if you understand the big picture, it's totally normal to feel frustrated or disappointed by being derailed. But your ability to regulate your response shapes how the team interprets the situation and adjusts to the change. So before you relay the news to your team, think about journaling your thoughts or talking through the change with a peer to settle your energy. Processing the news yourself allows you to enter the employee conversation with clarity and sets the stage for a calm, grounded team response.
Key question: “Have I taken time to process this shift before helping my team through it?”
Be transparent
Being cryptic about change is almost a surefire way to make your employees feel uneasy, distrustful, and potentially fearful of their future with the company. Even if the change your company is undergoing comes with ambiguity, your message to the team should be clear and transparent. To the best of your ability, explain why priorities are shifting and include what led to the decision, what it means for your team, and what hasn’t changed. Take time to answer your team's questions. If you don't know the answer to a question, let your employees know you'll find out the answer and follow up with them. And do remember to follow up! This kind of transparency builds trust, especially during uncertain times.
Key question: “Am I sharing enough context for my team to feel informed and not blindsided?”
Leave space for the real reaction
Even with the best communication, change can be disappointing or upsetting to employees. Give your team space to feel those feelings. When you see your employees struggling with the idea of change, you may feel the need to point out all the silver linings in the news. But putting a positive spin on everything can feel dismissive. So instead, listen deeply to their concerns and validate their feelings. This will help them process the news, while also giving them a higher sense of psychological safety and connection, which will help them recover from the change and roll with the new plan.
Key question: “Have I made room for my team to openly express how they’re feeling?”
Make support more visible
When you've communicated a change one week, you can't forget it the next week and go on like it's business as usual. Your team will need time to adjust, and as they do, they will need more support from you. During the transition, think about increasing your meeting cadences, be it one-on-ones or team meetings, to make sure everyone understands exactly what they should be doing. Remember to check in regularly and recognize progress along the way. This could be as simple as a message acknowledging a great idea someone offered for the new direction or a graceful transition an employee made. Whatever you do, make sure your employees know you appreciate their efforts and that you are right there with them as they navigate change.
Key question: “How am I showing up for my team in small, steady ways during this transition?”
Focus on progress
When plans change, it's natural to feel like your team's previous work was wasted. As a leader, one of the most powerful things you can do is honor the effort that’s already been put in and show that it still matters. Frame the pivot as a continuation of growth, not a reset. For example: “What you learned in this project is setting us up to move faster in this new direction.” When people can see how their skills and progress still contribute to something meaningful, they’re less likely to feel bitter about the past and more likely to re-engage with purpose.
Key question: “How can I show the team that what they’ve already built connects this shift?”
Define what success looks like now
For employees, one of the hardest parts of a transition is not knowing what’s expected of them. Even highly engaged performers can lose confidence in the company and faith in their abilities if their goals aren't clear. That’s why it's crucial to give your team some amount of clarity, even if you don't have all the answers yet. Focus on short-term goals and set immediate priorities. Clarify which initiatives are on hold, what the new focus is, and what great work looks like under the current conditions. This information gives your employees something tangible to work with, so they don't feel lost.
Key question: “Have I clearly articulated what my team should prioritize right now?”
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