Sylvia NicolasToday’s business world is defined by uncertainty. The sudden shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic forced leaders to reimagine team dynamics overnight. The 2008 financial crisis left budgets frozen and strategic plans by the wayside. But perhaps the most common situation for any leader is a company restructure – where teams are reorganised, roles redefined, and quite often, positions eliminated altogether.
During restructuring, the stakes feel intensely personal. It’s not just about adapting to new market conditions or technologies; it’s about people’s livelihoods, career trajectories, and sense of security. As a leader, you’re caught in the difficult position of managing your own anxieties about job security while simultaneously supporting your team through theirs.
Having coached leaders through organisational restructuring, I’ve witnessed the paralysing effects of uncertainty, and also the remarkable resilience that emerges when leaders focus on what they can control. The difference often comes down to a few key approaches that help maintain team cohesion and productivity during challenging transitions.
Acknowledge your emotions first
As a leader facing restructuring, you’re likely experiencing a complex mix of emotions – worry about your own position, concern for your team members, frustration about decisions beyond your control, and pressure to maintain performance despite the turmoil.
Rather than suppressing these feelings, acknowledge them. Give yourself space to process your emotions, whether through journaling, conversations with trusted colleagues outside your organisation, or working with a coach. Then consciously shift your energy toward constructive action.
This emotional awareness serves two purposes: it prevents your unacknowledged feelings from unconsciously affecting your leadership, and it helps you recognise and respond to similar emotions in your team members.
Transparent communication builds trust
During restructuring, information vacuums quickly fill with rumours and anxiety. While you may not have complete information about the outcome of the restructuring, sharing what you do know – and being honest about what you don’t – builds trust and reduces unnecessary speculation.
One leader I worked with held weekly “what I know/what I don’t know yet” sessions with her team. She was straightforward about which decisions had been confirmed and which were still in process. This transparency actually increased her team’s trust in her leadership during an otherwise uncertain time.
Be particularly mindful about setting expectations. If you promise to share information as soon as you have it, follow through consistently. If certain topics are confidential, explain why rather than avoiding the subject entirely. Your team can handle difficult truths if they’re delivered with empathy and respect.
Create stability where you can
Restructuring inevitably disrupts many aspects of work life, making it crucial to maintain stability wherever possible. While you can’t control organisational decisions, you can create a predictable environment for your team in several ways:
- Maintain regular team meetings and one-on-ones
- Keep established workflows and processes in place until directed otherwise
- Continue to provide feedback and recognition for good work
- Protect your team from unnecessary additional changes
- Ensure clear communication about immediate priorities
Another way to create stability is to name your “islands of certainty” – aspects of work your team can count on despite the changes happening around them. This can include protected time for skill development, consistent feedback sessions, and clear communication about project priorities. These stable elements can help his team remain productive even as reporting lines or long-term objectives are shifting.
Stay present-focused
Restructuring often triggers anxiety about the future – who will report to whom, which projects will continue, whether positions will be eliminated. While these concerns are natural, dwelling on unknowable future outcomes can paralyse productivity and morale.
Help your team stay grounded in the present by focusing conversations on current work, immediate next steps, and short-term goals. When team members express concern about the future, acknowledge their feelings without feeding speculation: “I understand your concern. While we don’t have final answers yet, let’s focus on what we can accomplish this week.”
This present-focused approach doesn’t mean ignoring the reality of change, but rather channeling energy toward productive activities rather than anxious rumination.
Develop new skills and opportunities
Restructuring often creates unexpected spaces for growth and development. Team members may have opportunities to take on new responsibilities, collaborate with different colleagues, or develop skills that will serve them well regardless of the restructuring outcome.
As a leader, you can highlight these opportunities and support your team in pursuing them. This might include:
- Cross-training team members on different aspects of the work
- Encouraging mentoring relationships across departments
- Identifying skill gaps that team members could fill
- Creating opportunities to showcase capabilities to other leaders
This development focus accomplishes two things: it demonstrates your ongoing investment in your team’s growth, and it helps prepare them for whatever comes next. For some, that might mean new roles within the restructured organisation; for others, it could mean stronger skills for their next career move.
When your leadership matters the most
Leading through uncertainty requires more than management skills – it demands authenticity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to create clarity amid confusion.
Remember that your team will take cues from your behavior. By modeling resilience, transparent communication, and present-focused productivity, you help them navigate the restructuring process with greater confidence.
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