Embracing Change Without Losing Your Sanity
By Amy Wartham, UNC Charlotte Director of Corporate Training and Executive Education
To be honest…. I’m not always great at change. Change management. Just reading those words can make some people break into a sweat, clutch their desk, or quietly start Googling “how to fake your own disappearance.” But here’s the truth: change isn’t the enemy – it’s the 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. An invitation to grow, to adapt, and sometimes, to laugh at ourselves along the way.
I was talking with one of my corporate clients the other day and she had just moved into a “newly redesigned” office and spent ten minutes trying to badge into what she thought was her door – only to discover that facilities had moved her team across the hall. Ten minutes, three failed swipes, and one sympathetic look from the janitor later, she realized she was in the wrong spot. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿n (and sometimes provide entertainment for others).
So how do we manage change without losing our momentum? Here are three strategies I swear by:
𝟭. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻: Silence during change is scarier than the change itself. Share updates, listen to concerns, and admit when you don’t have all the answers. People can adapt to almost anything if they know why it’s happening. Think less “surprise plot twist” and more “choose your own adventure.”
𝟮. 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲: Amid all the moving pieces, remind your team of what won’t change – your mission, your values, your commitment to each other. It’s like finding the anchor on a spinning merry-go-round: stability helps people hold on while the world whirls around them.
𝟯. 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘀): Not every step will be smooth – and that’s okay. Recognize progress, however tiny. And when things inevitably go sideways (like the time the “new and improved” project tracker accidentally deleted half my tasks), laugh, learn, and move forward. Humor doesn’t erase challenges, but it does make the journey lighter.
𝗔𝘁 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. When we approach change with openness, empathy, and even a bit of humor, we build teams that don’t just survive disruption – they thrive through it.
So next time you swipe your badge at the wrong door – or find yourself navigating a new system, process, or strategy – remember… change is proof that progress is happening. And if you can laugh along the way, you’re already ahead of the curve.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?
If you need some training to help with embracing or leading change management initiatives at your organization, shoot me an email at awartham@charlotte.edu or check out our Course Catalog for our list of program offerings. I’d love the opportunity to connect and learn more about your organization’s goals and explore how we can help support your learning and development priorities.