Change at the top? Here's where to focus your energy

Change happens at the top and suddenly you're wondering if you're next.

This is a situation a lot of leaders know well. A shift in the executive team sends ripples through the organisation, with many speculating about what it means for them.

It's unsettling. For you, your peers and your team. And when the future is unclear, it's natural to search for certainty, even when there isn't concrete way of doing so.

There are a few ways to respond.

One that I see often, is hyper-vigilance. This looks like scanning for signals, overworking, over-preparing, over-analysing and overthinking, trying to manufacture a sense of security.

This is an understandable response, but it's also exhausting. And whether you think you're hiding that anxiety or not, it is undoubtedly radiating outwards. Burning yourself out certainly isn't isn't going to help the situation either.

Another option is to make a deliberate choice to operate as if nothing has changed for you. Because right now, there is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

To keep leading the way you have been, to back yourself and believe that all will be well. (and if you're wrong, you can cross that bridge if/when it happens.)

There’s always the chance of an unexpected opportunity that comes after the dust settles too. So if you’re managing yourself and your outlook well, you’re more likely to see it.

Or, in parallel, you can always opt to to do some practical preparation to give yourself peace of mind...Reach out to your network. Refresh your CV.

One thing I always recommend is to protect your energy so you're performing at your best. That way, you're maintaining your health, leading your team well and demonstrating that you can manage change and disruption - arguably one of the most important skills today.

The uncertainty is real, but where you put your energy shapes how you show up.

A grounded leader doesn't just feel better, they perform better. And in the end, that might be what makes the difference.

These things are within your control. Focusing there, rather than catastrophising about what you can't influence can help enormously when navigating tumultuous times.

Change at the top doesn't automatically put you at risk, but how you respond to the uncertainty of it might.