How to Embrace Change During Challenges

Early in my career, I faced a moment many of us dread: A sudden, unexpected company reorganization. It seemed like overnight ➟ my role ➟ my team ➟ my daily tasks were all up in the air. I remember the anxiety. The flurry of rumors. The uncertainty. They clouded my thoughts about the future. But it was in this chaos that I found clarity. I realized that change, though daunting, also brings opportunities for growth. I wrote an article on this for Harvard Business Review. Here are 5 actions you can take when your professional life is unpredictable: 1. Embrace the Uncertainty Use periods of change as a catalyst for introspection. Reflect on what truly matters to you and your future. 2. Define Your Identity Think about who you need to be... Not just what you need to do. 3. Focus on the Process Establish and commit to positive career behaviors. It gives you a sense of control and leads to results. Examples: • Contribute in each team meeting • Expand your network every week  • Offer a strategic idea to leadership monthly • Take on a stretch opportunity once a quarter • Thank a coworker for something helpful every day 4. Cultivate Learning Agility Be ready to adapt. Stay curious. Embrace new ideas. This mindset isn't just to survive; it helps you thrive. 5. Ask for and Act on Feedback Regularly seek feedback. Take time to reflect on it. It's crucial to know where you're growing. And where you need to improve. Change can be scary. But it's also a chance to reset. To pivot. You may discover new paths you hadn't noticed before. Remember... It's not the strongest or most intelligent who survive. It's those who can best manage change. Lean into the uncertainty. Use it as a stepping stone. Build a career that's not just successful, but also aligned with who you truly are. Find this valuable? Repost ♻️ to share with others.  Thank you! P.S. What keeps you going when things get uncertain?

It’s 1am and my brain is vibrating at a very high frequency. The next few months are critical for businesses. We’re witnessing global wars, mass layoffs, and a post-AI world where rules are evolving very fast. Everything is shifting ... economies, industries, even identities. Sentiments are unpredictable. And evolution... it’s happening faster than we were ever warned. In moments like this, survival in business comes down to three things: 1. How resilient you are 2. How adaptable your business is 3. And then... pure, blind luck I’ve spent 14 years building through storms. Markets crashed. Partners walked away. Plans fell apart. Teams broke. But here we are ... still building, still dreaming, still growing. Every time we went through something major, I took notes. And today, I want to share the guide I wish I had during my hardest days, in the hope it helps someone out there who needs it now: 1. Embrace change and uncertainty It’s coming, whether you like it or not. Revenues will dip. People will disappoint. Strategies will collapse. Don’t fight the pain — walk with it. Let it sharpen your senses. It always has something to teach you. 2. Cut fast, but with empathy Speed saves lives in a crisis, but souls matter. When you make hard decisions — layoffs, pivots, shutdowns — do it with clarity, not cruelty. People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. 3. Stay uncomfortably close to your customer Your customers are evolving in real time. If you are not listening daily, you are falling behind. Talk to them. Watch them. Let their reality shape your decisions. 4. Don’t worship your past victories What worked last year might bury you this year. Ego is expensive in uncertain markets. Stay humble. Stay hungry. Let go of what no longer serves the future. 5. Focus on energy, not just strategy Your team mirrors your emotional state. If you panic, they will crumble. If you go numb, they will disengage. Be honest, be present, but above all, be steady. Energy is the invisible strategy that holds it all together. 6. Build faith in something bigger When numbers stop making sense and logic hits a wall, you need something deeper ... a belief, a cause, a reason to keep going. Call it purpose. Call it God. Call it madness. Just don’t run on empty. I don’t know how the next few months will unfold. No one does. But I do know this — the ones who feel deeply, move boldly, and love fiercely through the storm are the ones who build companies that outlive the chaos. My company stands more stable than ever today, but I haven’t forgotten the nights I sat up, just like this. So if you are awake at 1am too ... anxious, tired, and unsure — know this: we have lived through darkness to see the light, and you will too. Good days are around the corner. Let’s survive this. Let’s grow through this. Let’s make it mean something!

Leading in uncertain times is a hot topic today in business as we face a compounding set of unknowns: tariffs, inflation, volatility in our financial markets, the ongoing climate crisis, supply chain disruptions, global conflicts, and the advent of AI to name just a few. Whether you are an operator, investor or board member, I wanted to share a few of my approaches to dealing with the reality we are facing, and I would love your thoughts in response: 1. First, for me, is to remain consistent and committed to our company values. At PSP Partners, we express ours as IDEALS--Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, Alignment, Leadership and Service. Your teams want to know that during uncertainty you will make hard decisions that are grounded in your core values. 2. Radical honesty is critical. Bringing your leadership team to a point of embracing the reality of the landscape that your organization is facing is an essential foundation to then figuring out the vulnerabilities. 3. Ensuring that your balance sheet is strong to weather the difficult periods as well as to have the opportunity to play offense is more essential than ever. 4. Regular scenario planning and pressure testing various outcomes is essential to manage and mitigate risk; it is all the more important right now. This is also known as “red teaming” and it’s a critical thing to do. 5. Being curious about your blind spots and institutional biases will help create an environment where you and your team can safely challenge assumptions. 6. Overcommunicating with your management team and to your company as a whole have never been more needed. Remember it takes about 7 times for a message to break through. Don’t be afraid to repeat it over and over. 7. Embracing the idea that challenges also create unique and unexpected opportunities is so important. During uncertainty the best companies create extraordinary opportunity and returns for the long term. 8. A strong, innovative and resilient culture is always foundational and especially essential to navigating the current challenges. The CEO and your leadership team have to set the example.  

#MidweekWakeup: Embrace change - it's the only constant in business and life. As a fractional Chief People & Operations Officer, I've learned that adaptability is key to success. Let me share a recent experience: At Kinfolk Tech Foundation, we faced the challenge of evolving needs. Instead of resisting change, we embraced it: We overhauled our 2-year strategic objectives, pivoting mid-year to align with new realities. The result? A 40% increase in project completion rates and 20% improvement in resource allocation. But change isn't just about strategies - it's about people too. We redesigned our entire organizational operating system using Notion, reducing administrative time by 35% and improving information accessibility by 50%. This change empowered our team to work more efficiently and collaboratively. Remember, change can be uncomfortable, but it's also where growth happens. How are you embracing change in your organization? #ChangeManagement #OrganizationalGrowth #PeopleFirst