When leaders hear the word “change,” most immediately think about the impact on the team:
- “How will they react?”
- “Will we lose our top performers?”
- “What if morale tanks?”
But here’s the truth: before you worry about your team’s reaction, you need to manage your own.
Behind every org shift or strategic pivot is a swirl of uncertainty—not just on your team, but inside your own head. And if you don’t manage that swirl, it can quietly steer your decisions and set the tone for everyone around you.
The Real First Step in Change Leadership
Change management doesn’t start with a comms plan or stakeholder mapping.
It starts with a mental pivot—from catastrophic to curious.
That subtle balance between:
“What’s the worst that could happen?”
and
“What’s the best that could happen… or at least possible?”
You’ve seen this play out. A senior leader hears “strategic shift” and starts mentally building a bunker. The default reflex is skepticism—because it feels safer. Skepticism gives us the illusion of control. It helps us ask hard questions, avoid missteps, and protect what we’ve built.
But if left unchecked, it becomes a trap.
Skepticism Has a Purpose—Until It Doesn’t
Let’s be clear: skepticism isn’t all bad. It’s healthy. It keeps us from chasing every shiny object or jumping at change for change’s sake.
But left unchecked, skepticism becomes entrenchment. And history has shown us where that leads:
- 📼 Blockbuster laughed off streaming and passed on an early Netflix partnership. They doubled down on stores and late fees—until Netflix redefined the industry. Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010.
- 📱 BlackBerry dominated the mobile market but dismissed touchscreens as a passing trend. By the time they responded, Apple and Android had transformed how we work, communicate, and live.
- 📸 Kodak? They invented the digital camera in 1975. But internal leaders shelved it, fearing it would cannibalize their film business. The company that pioneered the future ultimately got left behind by it.
These aren’t just innovation misses. They’re cautionary tales about what happens when skepticism becomes a shield—when protecting “what is” blinds us to “what could be.”
Curiosity as a Competitive Edge
Curiosity doesn’t mean blind optimism. It’s not about cheerleading.
It’s the willingness to stay open long enough to let the right insights surface.
When we approach change with curiosity, we don’t assume right or wrong. We ask better questions. We hold space for possibility. And we model for our teams how to engage without spiraling.
Try this framing next time change hits:
- “What’s the goal behind this shift?”
- “What might this unlock for my team?”
- “What do I need to learn before I decide?”
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating space for better questions to emerge.
Practical Moves to Stay Curious
If you feel yourself sliding into skepticism, try these simple pivots:
- Name the Fear
Write down your worst-case scenario. Now, balance it with the best-case. Reality is probably somewhere in between—and you’ll lead better from there. - Build a Curiosity Cue
Keep a question handy like:
“What else could be true?”
or
“What haven’t we considered?” - Say It Out Loud
Curiosity is contagious. Try:
“Let’s explore what this could look like.”
or
“What are we not seeing yet that might be a breakthrough?”
Bottom Line
Your team takes their cues from you. Not from the all-hands deck—but from your tone in the meeting after. The hallway chat. The Slack message that lands in the middle of ambiguity.
So, when change comes (and it always will), be the leader who doesn’t just manage risk—be the one who makes space for what’s possible. The future will always belong to those willing to explore it.
Reagan’s Rule: Before you manage change, manage to move your mindset from Catastrophic to Curious.
