It’s 3am and my daughter is scared. Can you stay with me for a little bit Dad? Some days it’s bad dreams or shadows on the wall, but other days it just wanting to ‘feel’ someone she loves nearby. Life is often like this when we are feeling slightly (or massively) uncertain. We want someone we feel safe with to stay with us, to be nearby, to reassure us we are and will be ok.

The same feelings of uncertainty are felt in times of change, including organisational change. Often we, as organisational leaders or colleagues, respond rationally. However, just as telling my daughter that there are just shadows on the wall doesn’t help her, so too does reason not help with our colleagues. Often in times of change, we want to be ‘seen’ and ‘heard’ as a person. We want someone to stay with us for a while.

Change can be scary, but it’s almost always less scary when we are not alone.

Photo by Steven Van Loy