Jennie & Lauren tackle a much-forgotten aspect for Leaders who are working with change in their organization. Their conversation emphasizes that effective change leadership is less about managing processes and more about leading people through the human and emotional experience of ongoing change. Leaders act as the “oxygen for change” by helping people make sense of why change is happening, translating strategy into personal meaning, and addressing the emotional impacts; fear, grief, resistance, and fatigue, all of which will inevitably arise. Their discussion highlights the importance of trust, the cadence of honest communication, compassion over performative empathy, and creating space for sensemaking and closure. Leaders are encouraged to work with resistance as valuable data, recognize that people move through change at different speeds, and balance execution with emotional capacity. Ultimately, sustained adaptability depends on leaders who model selfcare, set boundaries, reinforce identity and belonging, and consistently “see, hear, and value” their people while guiding them toward a shared future.

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Connect directly with Jennie and Craig on LinkedIn:

• Jennie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniengilbert/
• Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craighess/

Have burning questions about leadership that you'd like us to address? Email them to leadership.questions@sait.ca and let your voice be heard.