Leading Change Starts with Self
Leading through complex change rarely feels tidy. It’s disorienting, demanding, and almost never linear. In organizations right now, there’s a relentless push for more: more competing priorities, more pressure to move faster, do more with less. As Brené Brown reminds us in Strong Ground, we aren’t neurobiologically wired to hold this much change and uncertainty at once. Yet here we are, trying to lead ourselves and others through it.
For years, leadership best practices have espoused that we need to “look like we’ve got it together.” This belief that we must always see the linear path and guide others confidently toward the finish line. In reality, that mindset often creates paralysis rather than momentum. Leaders hesitate, teams stall, and we end up trying to navigate complexity with outdated assumptions about what it means to look capable.
“Leaders often forget something so simple and obvious: leaders are people too”
We know (and the research backs this) that leaders play a defining role in employees’ experience at work and their wellbeing. Yet in times of heavy change, leaders often forget something simple and obvious (and deeply human): leaders are people too. How you show up is shaped by how you care for yourself. When we ignore that, we lead from depletion, defaulting to urgency, habit, and reaction instead of grounded presence and clarity.
Leading complex change starts with leading yourself. Spaciousness isn’t a luxury, it’s leadership infrastructure. Small, intentional practices compound. I’ve seen it shift how leaders think, feel, and move, and how teams respond in turn. Below are four practices I recommend often. Simple, practical, and grounding when everything feels like “more.”
Four Practices to Support Yourself in Change
1) Schedule pause time: See the system instead of being consumed by it.
Even 30 minutes a week matters. Block time at the start or end of your week to reflect, breathe, and notice: What’s working? What’s heavy? What’s needed? You’re not seeking perfect clarity — you’re creating just enough space to respond intentionally instead of react automatically.
2) Stay connected to peers: Complexity becomes heavier when we carry it alone.
Leadership can feel isolating — especially in uncertainty. Find one or two trusted colleagues and talk about what’s real, what’s hard, and what you’re learning. It doesn’t need to be formal. It just needs to be honest. Belonging steadies us. When we feel less alone, we lead with more steadiness and generosity.
3) Name what feels hard: Labeling emotions keeps your brain online and your thinking clear.
When we suppress what’s difficult, we lose access to executive function and start operating on default. Naming what’s hard — even to yourself — creates clarity and choice. It also helps illuminate what matters: what value is being challenged? What fear or hope is present? Naming gives you your agency back.
4) Move your body: Movement shifts perspective and unlocks possibility.
We think differently when big muscles are activated. A 15-minute walk — in silence, without a podcast — can reset your nervous system and open space for insight. Try walking with a question and see what surfaces. Change is embodied, not just intellectual.
Start Small, Stay Consistent
Small steps, repeated consistently, create meaningful impact.
Block your reflection time.
Pick one peer to reconnect with.
Walk once this week without headphones.
Name one thing that feels hard — and one thing you’re learning (sticky notes are great for this activity!).
Leading complex change isn’t about certainty, it’s about courage in motion and care in the moments that matter. Start with yourself. The way you lead you is the way you lead others.
What’s one practice you’ll commit to this week?
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Albrecht, S. L., Connaughton, S., & Leiter, M. P. (2022). The influence of change-related organizational and job resources on employee change engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 910206.
David, S. A. (2016). Emotional agility: Get unstuck, embrace change, and thrive in work and life. Avery.
Higgs, M., & Rowland, D. (2022). Is change all in the mind? A study of leader mindfulness, leader behaviors in implementing change. Journal of General Management, 49(2), 146-162. https://doi.org/10.1177/03063070221107130 (Original work published 2024)
Lynch, J., O’Donoghue, G., & Peiris, C. L. (2022). Classroom movement breaks and physically active learning are feasible, reduce sedentary behaviour and fatigue, and may increase focus in university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(13), 7775.
Tenschert, J., Furtner, M. & Peters, M. The effects of self-leadership and mindfulness training on leadership development: a systematic review. Manag Rev Q (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-024-00448-7
