Change is scary at any age

It’s the start of school here in Atlanta, and that means the usual anxiety that comes with change and growth are just around the corner. Over the next few days, I expect a lot of questions from the children in my house...
“Will I like my teachers, and will they like me?”
“Will I like the people at my table, and will they like me?”
“Will my friends have the same lunch time that I have, and when will I get to see them?”

It’s easy for us to think of these questions as something only children worry about, but the same types of same questions come up when organizations go through change...
“I just got assigned a new boss, how will we get along?”
“I am moving to a new group, how will I function there?”
“I’m going to have to relocate, how will I make new friends and will I still get to see my old ones?”

Change is scary at any age. Unlike the school calendar, the timing of business change doesn’t follow a predictable schedule which can make even the most well-adjusted adults uneasy. As a leader (just like a parent), it is your job to anticipate the anxiety for your team and help them to process the change (even when you are nervous about it too).

My advice is simple: build authentic relationships with your peers so you can lean on them in times of chaos. Sometimes just knowing you aren’t alone will be enough to give you what you need to lead your team.