Leaders Are Employees Too: The Support They Are Missing During Time of Change

Thought Leadership

Mar 3

When organizations roll out major change initiatives - layoffs, restructuring, M&A, etc.- significant resources are poured into employee support. There are Q&A sessions, listening tours, town halls, and well-being resources—all designed to help employees process the change, voice concerns, and adapt. Leading change is demanding. Leaders are expected to show up with answers, confidence, and composure.

But what about you?

As a leader, you’re not immune to the very same emotions your team is experiencing. You’re navigating the changes too—figuring out your own feelings, reactions, and concerns. Yet, while organizations prioritize supporting employees through change (which is critically important), they often overlook that leaders are employees themselves and need the same space, if not more, to process and adapt.

AND THE REALITY?

You are doing double the work. You are also navigating the same change—often with limited information, heightened pressure, and little to no structured support for their own transition. The expectations are that you’ll be ultra-mindful, compassionate, and steady for your team while managing your own uncertainty behind closed doors.

When leaders don’t get the support they need, the risks compound:

Increased burnout – Leaders shoulder both their own stress and their team’s, leading to exhaustion and disengagement.
Misalignment and resistance – If leaders haven’t had space to process their own concerns, they can’t effectively champion the change.
Breakdown in communication – Leaders who feel unsupported may struggle to relay clear, consistent messaging, leading to confusion across teams.
Loss of trust and retention issues – Employees look to leaders for guidance; if they sense uncertainty or frustration, morale suffers.

4 Tips to Lead Change Without Losing Yourself in It

1. Name Your Own Reaction

Before leaders can effectively communicate and drive change, they need time to understand and internalize it themselves.

For Leaders - How are you feeling, really? Take some time to acknowledge your own thoughts and emotions. Are you feeling excited, skeptical, anxious, frustrated? There are no wrong answers here. Taking an honest inventory of where you are with the change and recognizing your own response allows you to identify what you may need to move yourself and the team forward. The better you understand your own reaction, the more effectively you can guide others.

For Organizations - Create structured, safe forums where your leaders can work through their concerns. These can be offered as small group discussions with their peers, a coaching partnership with a trusted partner, or confidential advisory sessions with an unbiased facilitator. Leaders are doing double the work—navigating their own reactions while managing their team’s emotions. Recognize this burden and provide avenues for them to offload stress and gain perspective.

2. Identify Critical Information You Need

Leaders can’t be expected to champion a change they don’t fully understand. To the extent possible, ensuring they have access to information, decision-making context, and a clear roadmap will save them from second guessing and getting stuck in resistance.

For Leaders - Be proactive in seeking clarity. What’s the broader business rationale behind this change? What’s within your control, and what isn’t? If key information is missing, ask for it. Advocate for the insights you need to confidently lead your team through uncertainty.

For Organizations - Recognize that incomplete or vague messaging puts leaders in a difficult position. Equip them with transparent, timely, and context-rich communication so they’re not left guessing. Schedule briefings, facilitate Q&A sessions, and offer access to senior leadership to ensure alignment across all levels of the organization.

3. ask for support you need. right now.

Leaders can’t effectively support their team through change if they don’t first support themselves. The better they understand their own reaction, the more effectively they can guide others. Think of it like the oxygen mask rule on an airplane—leaders must take care of their own needs to be effective for others.

For Leaders - Take stock of what would help you manage this transition more effectively. Do you need time to process? A sounding board to test your messaging? Guidance on how to manage tough conversations? Don’t wait for support to be offered—advocate for what you need.

For Organizations - Instead of assuming what leaders need, ask them. Some may benefit from coaching, while others might need peer forums or structured leadership training. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it—tailored support ensures leaders can show up effectively.

4. decide the impact you want to create.

One of the biggest challenges leaders face during change is uncertainty about how to position themselves.

For Leaders - Change doesn’t just happen to you—you have a choice in how you show up. Do you want to be the enforcer, driving compliance through authority (not recommended) ? Or do you want to be a steady guide, helping your team navigate uncertainty? Perhaps a bridge-builder, inviting alignment and engagement? The key is to define an approach that serves your team while staying true to who you are. What kind of leader do you want to be in this moment? What impact do you want to create?

For Organizations - Organizations can empower leaders to make this decision intentionally by providing guidance on what leadership behaviors will best serve the transition and encourage leaders to align their approach with their strengths. Leaders who step into change with clear intention —not just about what’s happening, but about how they want to lead—are far more effective in rallying their teams toward success.

Leaders are employees too.

Organizations invest heavily in helping employees adapt to change—but often forget that leaders are navigating the same uncertainty while being expected to guide others through it. Leaders who are supported in their own transition can lead with more clarity, resilience, and confidence. Supporting leaders is supporting employees.