A 30-Day Challenge to Lead Your Team through Change

And Emerge Victorious on the Other Side

Image from 16personalities.com

When ChatGPT came onto the scene, my job changed virtually overnight. 

I went to bed a writer, and I woke up a…curator of words. (The nuance may be slight, but the roles are vastly different.)

And I’m not the only one. 

Research indicates that “80% of the U.S. workforce could have at least 10% of their work tasks affected by the introduction of large language models.”

I’ve been navigating my new role for quite some time now. And, although changes are still happening at a rapid pace, I’m…kind of loving it. 

As someone who loves (loves!) routines and stability, I adapted to this change surprisingly easily. I credit this largely to one thing: the leader who guided me through it.

Here are his exact words from one of our weekly team meetings:

“There’s a lot of change to what it means to be a professional writer happening. I’m here to be a part of the discussion, so we can all navigate it in a way that works for each of us. We all have much to offer, but we will offer it in different ways than before. And that’s okay. We got this. 💪” – Lucas from 16Personalities  

Pretty reassuring, wouldn’t you say?

I’ve witnessed change leadership done right, but I’ve also seen it go terribly wrong. I’ve watched leaders lose their team’s respect and get lost in the damaging seas of change.

Change is now a daily reality for everyone, especially leaders. So how can you guide your team to thrive, not just survive, through change? What does it take to be a masterful change leader? 

Today, we’re going to answer those very questions. First we’ll explore the key pillars of effective change leadership. Then we’ll get into the fun stuff – a 30-day challenge to help you put all of those principles into practice. 

Okay, are you ready? 

*sips tea*

Let’s get into it!

Crafting a Strategic Change Vision

Driving successful change starts with a clear, compelling vision that aligns with your organization’s goals and values. Without this alignment, you might still drive change, but it will likely be in the wrong direction.

To create a strategic change vision, ask yourself: 

1. What’s the main goal of this change? 

2. How will it help our company, clients, and employees? 

3. What does success look like, and how will we track it? 

But crafting a clear vision is the easy part. The real work comes next: effectively communicating your vision to stakeholders in a way that gets buy-in. 

You’ll need to tune in to everyone’s favorite radio station: WIIFM (“What’s In It For Me”). How? By tailoring your message to different audiences and using language that resonates with their specific needs and concerns. 

For example:

• When communicating with senior executives, focus on the strategic benefits and ROI of the change. 

• When communicating with frontline team members, emphasize how the change will improve their day-to-day work and create new opportunities for growth and development.

To make your transformative vision truly powerful, it must be shared and embraced by others. Be open to feedback and willing to adapt as needed to get everyone on board.

Leading through High Emotions 

Change is inherently emotional, regardless of how well you’re prepared for it. To lead your team through change, acknowledge and accept the human side of it, recognizing that emotions will run high.

Your first step has nothing to do with your team and everything to do with you as a leader: develop self-awareness. To guide others through the emotional upheavals of change, you’ll need to focus on yourself first – don’t skip this step!

Tune in to your emotions, and understand how they impact your thoughts, behaviors, and decisions. It’s normal to experience a range of feelings. You (and your team) might even go through different stages of emotional response:

1. Denying that the change is necessary or will happen

2. Resisting the change, expressing anger, frustration, or fear

3. Exploring new possibilities and looking for ways to adapt

4. Committing to making the change successful 

Once you acknowledge, manage, and work through these emotions, you’ll be better prepared to lead with clarity, composure, and authenticity.

After processing your own feelings, tune in to those of your team. Listen attentively to team members’ concerns, validate their emotions, and show genuine care for their well-being. Empathize with their challenges, especially when roles and responsibilities change. Avoid making empty promises – your words must be backed by action if you want to build trust. Collaborate with your team to adjust and adapt as needed.

To do this effectively, create a psychologically safe environment where team members feel comfortable speaking up, taking risks, and making mistakes without fear of punishment or embarrassment. They’ll be more likely to share ideas, ask questions, and express concerns. You can foster psychological safety by modeling vulnerability, encouraging open dialogue (even when opinions differ), and treating failures as learning opportunities.

When team members feel supported, heard, and psychologically safe, they’re more likely to embrace change, take ownership of their roles, and give their all to achieve the new shared vision.

Want to explore emotional intelligence in more detail? We dedicated an entire month to just that! Check out our Emotionally Intelligent Leadership series. 

Empowering Your Team to Navigate Change

You don’t have to handle everything on your own – if you are, you’re doing it wrong. Instead, empower your team members to take ownership, innovate, and grow as they navigate change in their own unique ways.

Here are some ways to empower your team through change:

1. Involve your team from the start. Seek team members’ input and feedback during planning and decision-making, rather than simply handing down directives. Giving team members a voice and a stake in the change fosters ownership and commitment, both of which are powerful drivers of success.

2. Be transparent in your communication. Be up front about what you know, what you don’t know, and what you’re figuring out. Share the opportunities and challenges associated with the change, and address tough questions and concerns head-on.

3. Model consistency. When communicating about change, ensure that your messages are aligned across different channels, from team meetings and email updates to town halls and one-on-one conversations. Use a common language and framework to describe the change, and regularly reinforce the vision, goals, and benefits.

4. Provide resources, training, and support. Give team members whatever they need to navigate change successfully, from skill development workshops to mentoring programs to new tools and technologies.

5. Create space for experimentation, innovation, and failure. Encourage team members to think creatively, challenge the status quo, and propose new ideas. Celebrate successes, but also normalize the idea that failures are a natural part of learning and growth.

6. Celebrate milestones. Recognize your team’s progress and successes, no matter how small, to build momentum and keep people engaged. Acknowledge people’s hard work and dedication, and showcase examples of how their contributions are making a difference.

Do this, and your team will be able to navigate current change successfully while also becoming better equipped to handle future challenges and opportunities.

The 30-Day Change Leadership Challenge