Leading Organizational Change Without Losing Your People

I’ve learned something over the years—it’s not the change itself that breaks people down. It’s how we lead through it.

Whether I was stepping in to turn around a declining school, launching a brand-new campus from scratch, or helping students and teachers navigate the chaos of COVID, one truth has remained: change is inevitable, and people are watching how we handle it.

During the pandemic, I had students learning from home and in the classroom at the same time. Talk about a leadership curveball. It wasn’t just about setting up devices or tweaking lesson plans—it was about reimagining what school looked like overnight. My team was stretched, scared, and exhausted, but we didn’t fall apart. We leaned into clarity, purpose, and connection. We made it work because we didn’t just focus on what needed to change—we focused on how to walk through it together.

And that’s the heart of it: leading organizational change requires more than good ideas. It demands trust, intentionality, and a leader who’s willing to go first.

When I consult with schools now—many of whom are facing major transitions like leadership turnover, low morale, or shifting enrollment—I always come back to a few foundational practices that have helped me and so many others lead change without losing their people along the way.

First, you have to start with the why. Before we ask people to change, we have to show them the purpose. When I led my team through a major schedule restructure, we didn’t just share a spreadsheet. We gathered around a mission—our students needed more support, more connection, and more meaningful instructional time. That clarity helped us move forward, even when things got uncomfortable. Change makes more sense when it’s tied to something bigger than the task at hand.

Second, people need to be part of the process. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that change done to people leads to resistance—but change done with people creates ownership. I’m a big believer in feedback loops, open conversations, and asking the hard questions before rolling out new systems. When I launched a new school, we didn’t build the culture alone—we built it with teachers, parents, and even students. And that’s what made it thrive.

Third, simplify. Change doesn’t mean more. It often means less—but better. During any transition, your team is mentally and emotionally spent. Don’t pile on. Look for what can be paused, delegated, or removed entirely. Prioritize the essentials so people have the capacity to focus on what truly matters.

And finally—don’t forget to celebrate progress. Change fatigue is real. But when leaders take the time to point out what’s working, to recognize small wins, and to speak life into the effort, it fuels momentum. I made it a habit to start meetings with shoutouts, post visible wins in our staff lounge, and highlight progress in weekly emails. It’s a simple shift that makes a big impact.

At the end of the day, you don’t have to have all the answers. But you do need to lead with consistency, humility, and heart. People will follow a leader who’s clear, honest, and present—especially during change.

So if you’re in the middle of a big shift right now—whether you're rolling out new expectations, restructuring roles, or reimagining what your school could be—remember this: you don’t have to do it all, and you don’t have to do it alone. But you do have to lead with purpose.

Change starts with you.