We live in a changing world. When people say to me “it’s an uncertain time” I do have to wonder when we have ever lived in a certain time! Change is constant, inevitable and deeply human. What matters is how we meet it.
Do you view change as a closed door or an open one?
As something to fear – or something to get curious about?
Do you just get through it – or do you find a way to thrive?
Here’s the paradox, humans often resist change, yet we’re also drawn to novelty. We wired for both protection and possibility. How we deal with change is routed in our brain-body hardwiring which results in a two-channel system which governs our response in times of uncertainty.
Survival Mode – where change feels like threat. This may show up as anxiety, resistance, stress or overwhelm.
Thrive Mode – where change feels like an opening, this is when we lean in with curiosity, creativity, excitement and hope.
Both modes are valid, both serve a purpose, but how, as a leader, do you manage these?
Reduce the noise – only share the most critical priorities of change, don’t overload with irrelevant information.
Eliminate uncertainty – share as much information as you can. Be transparent – what is known, what is unknown and what actions are being taken and what outcomes are expected.
Focus on opportunities (not threats)
Celebrate your progress (however small)
The real challenge – across organisations, teams, and society isn’t change itself. It's being able to adapt fast enough to meet the complexity we are living in. When we lead with honesty, clarity, and heart, we give ourselves and others a better chance at not just surviving change, but growing through it.
As Darwin put it
“It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.”
Let’s create the kind of leadership that helps people shift from fear to flow. That’s where the magic happens.
Call Tanya on 07793 6966489 or email tanya@emperorcoaching.com
Share this post: