Navigating Change and Resilience
Shaped by Change: A Leadership Journey
There are moments in leadership that test not only your abilities but also your emotional resilience. For me, this was one of those moments—a time of deep reflection, uncertainty, and growth. It began with a quiet sense of unease, a whisper of intuition that something significant was coming. Little did I know how profoundly it would shape me.
The Calm Before the Storm
A week and a half before the planned organizational restructuring, Junaid—our director and my manager’s manager—called me into his office. “You will lead a team of nine,” he said, as though delivering routine news. But the weight of those words lingered, and my intuition told me this was only the beginning. I wasn’t worried for myself but for the people around me—people I cared deeply about.
The next day, unable to quiet my thoughts, I walked by our VP’s office and asked, “Do you have five minutes?”
“Come on in,” he said. I sat down and admitted, “I can’t stop my endless thoughts.” He offered simple, reassuring advice: the thoughts would pass. But I knew this was different. “I have a feeling things are going to break me,” I said.
He paused, then asked a powerful question: “Shape you?” —as if he hadn’t even heard me utter the word Break..
I reflected for a moment before replying, “Emotions might break me, but rational thoughts could shape me.” It was a defining conversation, one that reminded me of the duality every leader faces—emotions pulling you one way, logic another.
The News That Changed Everything
The announcement came while I was on vacation, though I received the details a day earlier in a call with Junaid. The news was heavy: my manager—my mentor and partner for the past 16 years—was being let go. Another key leader, someone considered a pillar of institutional knowledge, was also leaving. The team my manager once led would be dispersed, and I would inherit four of his team members and five from another outgoing manager.
Junaid, aware of the emotional weight, told me, “Take your time to get over your emotions and settle back.” But my immediate concern was for my manager. “Does he know?” I asked.
“He’ll be informed in an hour,” Junaid replied. That hour felt like an eternity.
A Relationship Built on Trust
My manager called me as soon as he received the news. His words were unexpected: “Congratulations on your new role.” There was no bitterness, no resentment, but there was pain in his voice, the quiet weight of someone who still wanted to contribute, to shape the organization’s future. In another situation, I might have celebrated, but I could only say, “In any other circumstance, I would be happy, but right now, I’m equally in shock.”
True to his character, he said he would support me in my new role for as long as he remained. That moment revealed to me the strength of the relationship we had built over the years. It wasn’t just a professional bond; it was a partnership built on mutual respect and trust.
We had complemented each other’s strengths—his straightforwardness and persistence balanced my emotional intelligence and diplomacy. When one of us needed protection, the other stood guard. When strategy and tact were required, we worked together seamlessly.
Yet, I knew that his perfectionism, once a strength, had become a challenge in a rapidly changing organization. Despite his continued engagement and desire to contribute, the decision was inevitable. It felt unfair, but it was a reality I had to accept.
Lessons in Leadership and Resilience
As I stepped into my new role, the weight of responsibility felt immense. I was no longer just part of the team—I was now its leader, inheriting not only new team members but also the emotional aftermath of a restructuring. It was a moment that tested my ability to navigate complexity with both empathy and decisiveness.
Through this experience, I learned that leadership is about more than strategy or decision-making. It’s about relationships. It’s about the trust you build with people, the respect you earn, and the empathy you show during difficult transitions. These bonds are what enable someone to rise above jealousy or disappointment and offer their support—even when the path forward is unclear.
I also realized the importance of balancing emotions and logic. While emotions remind us of our humanity, logic helps us move forward. Both are essential, and it’s the interplay between the two that shapes us as leaders.
Looking Ahead
This experience was just the beginning of my leadership journey. As I settled into my new team, I knew the challenges would continue, but so would the opportunities to grow and lead with purpose. Leadership isn’t just about the destination—it’s about the journey, the lessons you learn, and the impact you leave behind.
To every leader facing their own moments of change: embrace the duality of shaping and breaking. Let your emotions ground you in empathy, and let your logic guide you toward progress. In the end, it’s not the challenges we face that define us—it’s how we choose to rise through them.
Next Steps: Building a Unified Team
In my next post, I’ll share how I approached the process of uniting a newly formed team, building trust, and navigating the complexities of leading through change. Stay tuned for more insights from my journey.
What has helped you balance emotions and logic in difficult times?
