Change Management Insights For Improving Team Dynamics

Rebuilding a High-Performing Team in an RTO World: A Client’s Success Story When my executive client was tasked with bringing his 650-person department back to the office after four years of remote work, we knew the challenge wasn’t just logistical—it was strategic - and his concern wasn’t just about getting people back to their desks but ensuring he had the right people in the right roles to drive business success. Through our collaboration, we decided to develop a two-phase approach that allowed him to manage change effectively while restructuring his team for optimal performance. Phase 1: Managing the Change of RTO (Months 1-3) Rather than rushing into assessments and restructuring, we agreed that it was best to focus on re-acclimation first. 🔹 Gradual Reintegration: He implemented a structured return—starting with three days in-office before scaling up—giving employees time to adjust. 🔹 Listening Sessions: My client led discussions with teams to understand concerns, workflows, and career aspirations post-remote. 🔹 Cultural Reset: He modeled the company values, reinforced the why behind RTO, and reinforced the culture in every meeting. Phase 2: Assessing & Restructuring the Team (Months 3-6) Once stability was established, the next step was restructuring the team for the future. 🔹 Skills & Contribution Audit: Partnering with HR and others, my client assessed whether each role still aligned with business needs. He found that some functions were now redundant, while others required a new skill set after four years. 🔹 Team Effectiveness Review: He restructured teams to improve efficiency and positioned high performers in roles that leveraged their strengths. 🔹 Strategic Reassignment & Exits: Some employees transitioned into new, more fitting roles. Others, who struggled to adapt or no longer aligned with the business, were respectfully transitioned out. Still others were supported in their current roles with new training to equip them to succeed in the future. Messaging the Changes: Transparency & Stability 🔹 Communicating the Vision: Early on, we knew framing the restructuring as an opportunity was important. 🔹 One-on-One Conversations: My client ensured employees moving into new roles—or out of the company—had clear, respectful conversations about their next steps. 🔹 Rebuilding Trust: By reinforcing that changes were intentional and strategic, employees recognized the thoughtfulness that had been invested in the changes. The Outcome? He's rounding out his six month and says his department is performing at a higher level than pre-pandemic. It's not been easy and there have been a few surprises, but he knows his team is set up for long-term success. What my client learned was that returning to the office wasn't the real challenge - rebuilding the right team was. If you’re navigating RTO and need to reassess your team for long-term success, let’s connect.👇

Change isn’t just a strategy problem. It’s a people problem. And one of the most overlooked drivers of successful change is self-awareness, especially at the management level. When leaders aren’t aware of how they show up, they can’t see how they impact others. - They might say they’re open to feedback, but interrupt when it’s given. - They might promote collaboration, but make all the final calls themselves. - They might encourage innovation, but create fear when mistakes happen. The gap between what leaders intend and what people experience often goes unnoticed. And that gap quietly erodes trust and momentum. Self-awareness is what helps close that gap. It allows leaders to: – Notice their default patterns under pressure – Understand how their behavior influences team dynamics – Adjust in real time when something isn’t landing It also sets the tone. When leaders model reflection, curiosity, and accountability, it signals to others that growth is part of the culture, not just a talking point. #leadership #change #leaders #nspandco

The best process cannot overcome a weak foundation of understanding. This truth reveals itself across teams of every size and industry. Consider a team that implemented a new workflow system. It looked perfect on paper—good instructions, clear roles, reliable handoffs. Team members followed all the steps. Leaders said it was working well. But the results weren't great. When looking closer, the real problem surfaced: → People did what they were told but didn't know why it mattered. → They followed steps but didn't believe in them. → They were compliant but not committed. Something was missing. The team got better when they fixed these 4 things: | Understanding why each step matters ↳ Instead of "Here's what to do," they explored "Here's why this matters for us." | Complete ownership rather than mechanical compliance ↳ They shifted from "The company's process" to "Our way of working together."   | Commitment to adaptation based on emerging needs ↳ Regular reflection became part of the process itself: "Is this still serving us?"   | Trust that the system served people, not the reverse ↳ The ultimate measure became human impact, not procedural adherence. Six months later, the same system now produced great results. --The steps didn't change.  --The meaning behind them did. Systems don't transform people or teams. Understanding does. Team performance is about connections to purpose and each other. When have you seen a team get better not by changing what they do, but by building better understanding?