But there are ways of making it feel safer when you’re intentional about how you lead people through the process.

At the recent B4 People Ecosystem, I asked everyone to think about their own experience of change and some of the many reasons that people naturally resist. When we understand that, we can reframe difficult behaviour as needing empathy.  And when, as leaders, we’re able to join employees where they’re at and meet their needs, we’re more likely to be successful leading them through periods of uncertainty and change.

Jo Stevens, MD at Oxford Innovation Space, brought this to life when she shared her impressive story of growth. Some of Jo’s key points for leaders to consider (with a few ideas of my own):

• Being authentic is essential. Show you’re human, including the tears if they come naturally, and owning your mistakes (you will make them!).
• Monthly Town Halls that include profit and loss and how the organisation is doing relative to the overall goal.
• The strategy needs to include why it is your organisation exists.
• Away days to develop the strategy, including what works, what doesn’t and what’s still needed. My own experience is that people strategy can miss the critical link between a plan and lived experience.
• Leaders can NEVER over-communicate (I concur).
• Accept you can’t please everyone (but be mindful that you should try to understand different needs that could be intellectual, emotional or personal – and these should form part of your resistance action planning)
• Working groups can help inform everyone about change – communicating both up, down and across the organisation.

The Ecosystem wrapped up with a peer consultation session, problem-solving one leader’s challenge around a company’s decision to insist on a minimum of 4-days in the office. This was a really interesting and very timely discussion, with many leaders working out how to navigate this.

If you want to find out more about any of these topics, drop me a line at lisa@itstimeforchange.co.uk or connect with me on LinkedIn.

And join us on 16th October to find out about the importance of intentionality for how leaders show up at work. Megan Carter of Blenheim Palace will be joining us to share her insights. Book your place here.