When Everything at Work Feels Uncertain

I've seen more leadership shifts and reorganizations in the last two years than in my entire career. I don't think I'm alone.

The manager who knew your work ethic—gone. The team dynamics you understood—shifted. And now you're left wondering where you stand.

Uncertainty is code for insecurity and fear. Both are natural. Both bring out people's worst instincts. I've watched the most pleasant coworkers turn argumentative, gossipy, immature when the ground shifts under them. It's human nature—when we feel exposed, we get defensive.

Here's what I've learned: staying sure of who you are in the middle of change is the only way to show up as your best self. It's harder when your champion is gone and you're not sure who has your back. But it's also when it matters most.

You know who you are, even when everything else is in flux. You've done good work before. You'll do good work again. The chaos around you doesn't change that.

Don't let other people's insecurity make you forget what you bring to the table.

Reflection: What's one thing you know to be true about yourself—your work, your values, your contribution—that no reorg can take away?

Previous
Previous

Build Your Board