
Moving through another election season, we easily notice how leadership changes can stir up excitement and uncertainty. New leadership seasons are inevitable—whether in politics, business or any community. With new leadership seasons come risk and opportunity.
A new leader’s role is to find the right balance between stability and transformation.
In his book Managing Transitions, William Bridges references the difference between transition (the internal process of letting go of the old and embracing the new, also known as the inner journey) and change (what happens externally, also known as the outer journey).
Transition: Experiencing the Inner Journey
In a new leadership season, the inner journey can surface emotional stages similar to what we experience during grief.
As outlined by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the seven stages of grief—shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, experiment, decision and integration—that originally applied to bereavement can help us understand how people respond to new leadership. People might express these emotions if they feel they are losing something familiar.
If employees perceive the transition as positive, the depth and the pace at which they move through the grief stages is lighter. Regardless of perception, specific leadership practices during this time can lead to trust, engagement and retention if handled with care.
Change: Leading the Outer Journey
The outer journey of experiencing change lends itself to the social side of transitions—how a team forms, evolves and ultimately functions together.
Tuckman’s taxonomy of team development—forming, storming, norming and performing—can be an invaluable guide for leaders as they steer their teams through changes. This taxonomy offers a playbook for you to lead through the uncertainty and excitement
of their “new normal.”
Let’s break down new leader’s steps, using these frameworks to help us understand and lead through the journey.
- Build Relationships and Trust
As you begin the forming stage, take time to build relationships. Create space for you to share with your new team who you are and how you operate. Some leaders prefer to do this in a town hall, while others favor one-to-one.
Share who you are through the lens of the 3 C’s:
Character (your core values, what you stand for and things that matter to you). Competence (the gifts and talents you bring to the table or what value you add) and Cultural fit (your why, what drew you to your place of work or your connection to the company). Use this time as an opportunity to learn from your team.
Prioritize team building to share personality types under stress and communication preferences. If you miss this step, you risk losing the opportunity to capitalize on a basic human need—feeling a sense of belonging, a key agent for successful change.
- Acknowledge the Past First
The brain likes order and logic. Humans are creatures of habit and become attached to how things have always been. Begin by acknowledging what came before you. Take time to listen to what has worked and what is worthy of celebration. Offer gratitude for what is going well and ask what could be better.
If you skip this, the first reaction you may encounter could be a form of denial, the initial grief stage.
By slowing down to listen, celebrate and source future opportunities, you demonstrate respect for the organization’s history, help people move through the denial stage by recognizing what will remain, and open up their minds to the reality and scope of the changes to come.
This serves another basic human need—to be seen, heard, loved or acknowledged. As Bridges highlights, by honoring the past and creating agency for the future, you continue to build trust and lay the groundwork for people to accept the transition.
- Be Transparent About the Why
As you prioritize the opportunities ahead of you, recognize the importance of a rallying cry or an immediate “why” for the transition. Transparency and clear vision are vital in helping people move from resistance to understanding (Kübler-Ross’ bargaining stage).
Explaining why change is necessary will ease the transition. People need to see changes are purposeful and understand what will be gained, even if something they value will be left behind.
In the forming stage, people are cautiously figuring out the new landscape. Clear communication about the reasons for change helps move to a more productive mindset.
In the norming stage, they are starting to come together around a shared understanding.
- Expect Emotional Reactions
While you can do all you can to control what you can control, you are working with unique human beings who experience change differently. Your priorities, pace, communication strategies and leadership style are often the catalysts creating conflicts.
Employees may find the new norm disorienting. Recognize and share that storming is part of the process. Balance action and reflection, mediating between differing opinions and emotions.
Create time to reflect on this season through the lens of self, team and business: How are you doing? How are we doing? How are these adjustments affecting our business?
Maintain steady communication and do not rush through this stage. Storming is progress. Be patient and acknowledge the feelings people are experiencing. Offer reassurance you are there for the long haul.
- Give People Time to Adjust
Inner transition is rarely a quick process. People will likely have a period of confusion or sadness—depression—as they mourn the loss of the familiar. This is the “Neutral Zone,” that uncomfortable middle ground where the old is no longer, but the new has not fully taken shape.
In team development terms, this is where leaders must exercise patience during the norming phase. During this time, providing stability, reassurance and resources is essential. Employees need time to process, feel supported and adjust to the new landscape.
- Establish Clear Expectations Early
In Tuckman’s model, the performing stage is when the team reaches its peak efficiency, operating with trust and clarity. Your team can move forward toward performing when you set clear goals and expectations.
The more transparent and structured you are, the quicker people will move from the confusion of transition to the clarity of execution. As a leader, you must stay focused and outline expectations.
What does success look like in this new chapter? Ensure your goals are easily measured and communicated regularly. Doing so helps employees accept the new normal. Lay the path for your team to embrace the new direction fully.
- Maintain Communication Lines
Change and transition can stir up a lot of questions, doubts and concerns. Maintaining the relationships you built in the forming stage is essential to a high-performing team.
Bridges emphasizes the need for dialogue during transitions, and in Tuckman’s storming and norming phases, communication can either make or break the process.
Keeping lines of communication open is crucial. Prioritize your one-on-one and team meetings on the calendar. Encourage feedback and address concerns.
Sprinkle in moments to advance relationships with thought-provoking check-in questions. You can continue assessing how individuals and the team perform.
8. Celebrate Milestones and Wins
As the team moves toward reorientation to the new norm, the inner journey will reveal hope and acceptance as people begin to see the benefits of the new reality. Do not wait until everything is “perfect” to celebrate. Small wins can be just as important as major milestones.
Incorporate a wins list or great catch into your daily huddle. Recognizing progress, through all stages, boosts morale and reminds employees they are part of something important. As your team begins performing at a high level, positive reinforcement will motivate them, and they will see that the transition, however difficult, was worthwhile.
Take Action
A new leadership season requires strategic planning, empathy and adaptability. Leaders who understand their team’s emotional journey—whether through Kübler-Ross’ stages of grief, William Bridges’ transition framework or Tuckman’s team development stages—will be better equipped to lead confidently. This can be a powerful opportunity for growth for everyone involved.
The next time you find yourself stepping into a new leadership role, remember that change does not happen in a vacuum. Give people the space they need to process.
Kim Lisiak Fraleigh is the director of leadership development at Lippert. She serves as a leadership coach, trainer and trusted advisor to develop leaders from the front line to the executive.