If there’s one theme I keep hearing from clients, it’s this: ‘We’re going through some big changes.’ A senior Finance leader told me just this week her global organization is getting smaller, flatter, and fundamentally restructured. Last week, an executive team in the data industry described racing toward what they call ‘the event’—they’re not sure if it means new investment, an acquisition, or being acquired themselves, but something significant will happen in the next six months.

Here’s what strikes me: we’ve learned to accept major organizational shifts as just part of the job now. Change has become the ocean we’re swimming in, not the occasional wave we prepare for. Accenture’s September 2025 Pulse of Change Report found that 90% of C-suite leaders (nine out of ten!) say the pace of change has accelerated just since January, with 84% expecting it to increase further.

How do people actually respond to change? And what can we as leaders do to help them navigate it successfully?

How People Actually Respond to Change

Here’s the thing: people are remarkably adaptable. When they have a voice in the change—when they feel some sense of control over the process—most people adjust pretty well. They modify their processes and habits, experience some discomfort, and generally come out fine on the other side. It’s not necessarily pleasant, but it’s manageable.

But that’s rarely the kind of change that concerns leaders. The trouble shows up when change gets thrust upon people, when they’ve had no input into decisions that fundamentally affect their work.

When things change quickly without their input, people seek out certainty, control, predictability. You’ll see this show up in your teams in a variety of ways: people acting unsettled and questioning decisions more than usual, sometimes even opting out of participation altogether. Operating with less alignment—not playing well with others. Needing higher levels of assurance, asking for more clarity about everything. Complaining they’re not valued or don’t feel heard.

And just to complicate things, remember that people’s responses to change vary wildly. Some people thrive on variety—they get bored with the status quo and feel energized when things shift. Others grip tight to the familiar, resist change in a thousand ways, and need constant reassurance. Neither response is wrong; they’re just different.

What You Can Actually Do About It

As leaders, we can do real things to make our teams’ experience with change better and less disruptive. Not magical things, not complicated interventions—just intentional leadership that makes a difference. Here’s what works:

Acknowledge the reality. Don’t downplay what’s happening. Things are going to be different, and that can be hard. Schedule time for your team to talk about the coming changes and how they’ll affect this specific team. Expect emotion—frustration, maybe anger. This is when you remind people you believe in them, that they have the skills and resilience to navigate whatever’s ahead. Then follow up one-on-one. Some people won’t share concerns in a group setting. Give individuals space to voice how the changes affect them and what they’re thinking about.

Create agreements on how you’ll work through this together. How do you want to treat each other during this time? What conversations will the team need to have? What values will guide your decisions and actions? These agreements become your anchor when things get rocky.

Resist the urge to fix everything at once. As much as you’d like to wave a wand and resolve everything quickly, change reveals itself at unpredictable times and in unexpected ways. You won’t have answers for everything, and that’s actually okay. This is your opportunity to remind people they’re capable problem-solvers. Help them form a plan of action—even an imperfect plan makes people feel so much better. Try using some situational leadership techniques to help them find the path forward. When people have some path forward, their sense of control and confidence returns.

Create shorter milestones. Make your progress check-ins more frequent. This helps people feel movement and success, which rebuilds their sense of control and confidence. Nothing combats uncertainty like visible progress.

Share information responsibly. One temptation is to respond to change by being completely transparent – sharing everything so people know what to expect. Noble idea, but it can create overwhelm as people learn about even more things outside their control. A more effective approach: be transparent in service to the team. As a leader, you’ll hear many things that won’t serve your team to know. Keep them focused by sharing what helps their work but holding back the endless ‘possibilities and maybes.’ And you can be transparent about this approach: ‘Yes, I’ve heard about potential things coming. I’m not sharing them because they may never happen and we need to stay focused on what’s right in front of us. I commit to letting you know anything that affects your work and our ability to meet our goals.’

Be their champion. If changes are coming that you disagree with, find a way to voice that. Make sure your leaders understand how all of this affects your team and its ability to meet goals. Be clear about asking for what you need. Frame your concerns around impact: ‘Here’s what my team is thinking, here’s how they’re feeling, here’s what this means for our ability to deliver.’ Your bosses need to hear this, and your team needs to know you’re advocating for them.

Double down on recognition. Call out great work. Tell people you believe in them and their ability to navigate this new territory. Be specific and genuine in your praise. Celebrate progress, even small wins. Remind them of a brighter future, that these changes will ultimately have positive impact. When everything feels uncertain, your confidence in them becomes the solid ground they stand on.

Finally, put your own oxygen mask on first. That is, know that you’re affected by all this as well. Find ways to assess what you’re going through personally, anything you’re stuggling with. Take care of yourself and you’ll be more prepared to care for others.

You’ve heard the phrase ‘the only constant is change.’ Well, that seems truer than ever. But here’s what’s also true: you can be the leader who helps people find their footing when everything’s shifting. It just means showing up intentionally, with care, authenticity, and a bit of courage.

You’re totally capable of this.