Change readiness: leading the journey when the map isn’t clear
In a recent webinar, I had the opportunity to explore the topic of change readiness with Caroline Taylor, Managing Director of The Oxford Group. Together, we reflected on what it really takes for leaders to prepare themselves, and their organisations, for what’s next in a world where change is constant, complex and often ambiguous.
What struck us both is how different the experience of change feels today. It is no longer something that happens in neat phases or predictable cycles. Instead, many organisations are operating in a state of continuous movement, a kind of permanent slush, where multiple shifts overlap and certainty is always partial.
In that environment, the question for leaders shifts. It becomes less about “How do I deliver this change?” and more about “How do I help people become ready for change, again and again?”
From road trips to uncharted journeys
To bring this to life, I shared a simple analogy: a road trip from New York to Seattle.
In today’s world, preparation is relatively straightforward. You plan your route, organise your stops, gather what you need and set off. It’s structured and predictable, much like traditional approaches to organisational change.
But imagine that same journey in the 1800s.
No reliable maps. Uncertain terrain. An unclear route, and perhaps even an unclear destination. Preparation becomes something very different. It is no longer about planning the journey in detail, it is about preparing yourself and others to navigate uncertainty.
For me, this version of the road trip is far closer to the reality leaders face now.
What actually creates readiness?
Through that lens, I shared five elements that underpin change readiness:
- Craving, a genuine sense that change is needed
- Course, a direction of travel, even if incomplete
- Capability, the skills, mindset and systems required
- Connection, the relationships that support sense-making
- Capacity, the space and energy to engage
Taken together, these elements help us move beyond thinking about change as a plan, and instead focus on readiness as something that must be built across the whole system.
Leading like you’re on the frontier
If today’s environment mirrors that more uncertain journey, then leadership needs to adapt accordingly.
Caroline and I discussed four qualities that are becoming increasingly important, experimentation, rapid learning, ingenuity and bravery. These are not always comfortable. They require us to let go of perfect plans, to try things out, and to trust people to find new ways forward.
At the same time, leaders often need to balance this with a natural instinct to create control. In times of pressure, tightening control can feel like the safest option. And yet, it can also limit the very adaptability that change requires.
In many organisations, some of the most valuable progress is already happening, in small, local experiments, in everyday problem-solving, in teams quietly finding better ways of working. A key leadership task is to notice this, encourage it, and create the conditions for it to grow.
Five practical takeaways
We closed the session with a set of practical shifts, particularly relevant for leaders in HR, OD and L&D:
- Talk about change
Create the space, make it safe, and do it often. Change needs to be an ongoing conversation, not a one-off communication. - Ready, get set, go
Flag up change long before it happens. Early signals give people time to process, prepare and engage. - Keep asking the question:
Does this process help the change?
Does this process help the change?
Does this process help the change? This discipline helps ensure that existing systems support, rather than slow down, progress. - People don’t resist what they create
Wherever possible, co-create your change solutions. Ownership drives commitment. - Keep building human connection and curiosity
In an increasingly complex world, the ability to listen, to stay curious and to connect meaningfully with others is what enables change to land.
A final thought…
If there is one idea I would leave you with, it is this: change readiness is not something you deliver once.
It is something you build, continuously, through how you lead, how you create space, and how you engage people in the journey.
Just like that road trip, the destination matters. But it is the quality of the journey, and how ready people feel to travel it, that ultimately determines success.
Watch webinar on-demand
If you are facing challenges with change in your own organisation, please feel free to reach out to our teams for support and a deeper conversation: