Navigating Change, One Day at a Time

I have long been a student of change management…both personally and professionally.  I have spent much of my career at the forefront of change…either leading change initiatives myself or supporting leaders navigating the complex world of large-scale change.  I have long held the belief that developing the capacity to be comfortable with change is one of the most important skills we can develop both as individuals and leaders. These days with the extraordinary amount of change hitting us at a speed that is unprecedented; I believe this is more important than ever. It is not only a leadership skill but a life skill and continuing to build our capacity to handle an ever-increasing amount of change is the work for each of us.   

I am not here to go through all the elements of change management…there is much written on this topic.  But what I do want to share is what is saving my life right now and what I am observing in some of the leaders I work with and admire…leaders who are not only surviving but thriving and helping their teams become stronger and more resilient….one day at a time. 

1. Lean into your vision.   Even with the world changing so rapidly, it is important to keep the vision of what you are wanting to create at the forefront; and as a leader keep it in sight for others. If your vision is to scale the mountain, don’t lose sight of that…the time horizon may change and you may need to create some base camps on the way, but leaning into the  inspiring vision is more critical than ever.  
2. Navigate current reality one day at a time. Current reality is a thing and important to face.  Let’s be honest; it can be tough to face and easy to try to avoid or deny given how much is coming at us.  However, there is power in facing the current reality head on, adjusting as we need to but never lose sight of what we are trying to achieve.  By holding our vision and an accurate and clear view of the current reality, we can create energy to move us forward towards achieving our goals. 
3. Create communities of support and invest in relationships. In the words of Brené Brown, we are “hardwired for connection” and this is one of the things most difficult about what we are dealing with right now.  Create live connections … zoom meetings, live phone calls.  While never a replacement for face to face connection, these lives connections can be amazingly effective in creating important lifelines.  People want to know that they are valued, seen, and heard.  Over invest in building relationships and creating strong communities. 
4. Make meaning of what is happening and over communicate. This is a fundamental of navigating change one day at a time.  A wise teacher of mine gave me an important lesson many years ago and it is one I go back to over and over.  “So much of our role as leaders is creating context…tell people where we are going, tell them where we have been, and tell them where we are now.”  Help people to find the solid ground today.  It is amazing to me how beautifully this works in creating a sense of safety and stability.   
5. Stay grounded and develop healthy practices.  Never has this been truer.  There is no way we can lead from an empty well.  Leaders I am working with right now who may have struggled with this in the past are saying that this is the life lesson they are getting big time.  They must stay healthy to navigate everything coming their way.  One leader plays the drums every day, another makes time to ride his bike for a little time every day, another is taking up a lifelong desire to paint.  For me, walking my dog and practicing yoga every day are fundamental in keeping me resilient.  Finding those practices that help us to deal with the stress and move energy through our bodies is critical for our emotional, mental, and physical health. We cannot steady the boat for others if we are not doing these things for ourselves.  It is one of the most profound acts of leadership and the research proves that it is fundamental in the ability to be resilient and increase the capacity to navigate change. 

Lean into the vision.  Be present now.  Be kind and stay connected with others.  Course-correct as needed.  Take care of ourselves. Navigate change….one day at a time.