Leading Through Change: How Great CEOs Navigate Challenge, Vision, and Team Transformation
In this power-packed “Amuse Bouche” leadership mini-series episode, Theresa tackles one of the most pressing challenges facing today’s leaders: navigating massive organizational change when the entire team is looking to you for answers.
Whether it’s economic uncertainty, team restructuring, rising costs, or AI disruption, the pressure on CEOs and business owners has never been more intense. And yet, the way leaders show up during these moments of transformation can make all the difference between a team that thrives and one that barely survives.
The Reality of Leading Through Change
Theresa opens with real, behind-the-scenes conversations she’s having with CEOs right now—leaders in restaurant, retail, and hospitality who are wrestling with team resistance, change fatigue, and the emotional weight of making hard decisions when everyone is depending on them.
The truth? Leadership during transformation often feels lonely. But it doesn’t have to be.
This episode is for Founder CEOs, business owners, and leaders who feel like they’re “pushing a boulder uphill”—especially when navigating growth, restructuring, or any major shift that requires your team to step up in new ways.
Summon the Best of Who You Are
The very first step in leading through change isn’t external—it’s internal. Before you can guide your team effectively, you must summon the best of who you are.
That means:
- Regulating your emotions under pressure
- Zooming out to see the big picture
- Showing up with integrity and clear intention
Your team doesn’t just need a leader who has the answers. They need a leader who can be the steady hand, the difference-maker, and the one who models what it looks like to rise to the occasion.
When you do that inner work first, you give your team permission to do the same.
Empathy vs. Sympathy: Why It Matters
We hear the word empathy thrown around a lot in leadership circles, but Theresa clarifies what it really means—and why it’s not a buzzword, but a strategic leadership skill.
Empathy is recognizing reality (the challenges of the economy, technology shifts, rising costs, or even something as disruptive as a fire in your business) and still finding a way forward.
Sympathy, on the other hand, can keep you stuck in the problem.
As a leader, you need both empathy and conviction. You have to hold the vision clearly while also listening deeply to your team’s concerns. That balance—that “dance” between honoring perspectives and driving forward—is where trust is built.
The 3 Types of Reactions to Change
When faced with transformation, people typically fall into one of three categories:
1. They Resist It
These individuals avoid tough conversations or decisions and cling to the comfort of the status quo, even when it’s not working. Unfortunately, resistance comes at a cost. Prolonging necessary decisions—like letting go of toxic or misaligned employees—can drain hundreds of thousands of dollars from a business.
2. They Handle It
This group recognizes that something needs to shift. They may not have all the answers, but they’re willing to try and navigate the situation as it unfolds.
3. They Lean Into It
These are the people who see challenges as opportunities. They know that growth, innovation, and new solutions are waiting on the other side of discomfort. Leaning in is where transformation happens—and where businesses truly begin to scale.
When Vision Expands, Demands Expand
As your vision grows, it stretches your team. At first, it feels uncomfortable. Then it begins to demand more from everyone—more courage, more creativity, more accountability.
But when the team adapts and aligns with that expanded vision, something magical happens: you enter the flow zone.
This is where momentum, energy, and creativity accelerate. This is where transformation becomes reality.
The key is not to shy away from the friction along the way, but to use it as fuel for growth.
Three Action Steps for Leaders Navigating Change
So how do you take this from theory into practice? Theresa breaks it down into three steps you can start applying right now:
1. Define the Vision
Be transparent about why change is happening. Define the “because”—whether it’s because costs are rising, because the business needs to restructure, or because the industry is shifting. The clearer the “because,” the easier it is for your team to align.
2. Set a Plan With Your Team
Co-create the strategy. Assign roles, establish accountability, and involve your people in building the solution. When your team has ownership, they’re more invested in the outcome.
3. Be the Example
Teams don’t just listen to what leaders say—they watch how leaders act. When you do the internal work to lead with strength, steadiness, and clarity, your team will notice and be more likely to follow.
How to Navigate High-Stakes Decisions
Even the best leaders make mistakes. Theresa shares practical advice on what to do when you make the wrong call—and how to pivot with grace, humility, and confidence.
The reality is that leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being adaptable, emotionally regulated, and willing to course-correct when necessary.
Moving Into the Flow Zone
Change will always bring resistance, uncertainty, and maybe even drama. But it also brings growth, creativity, and the opportunity to build a stronger business and culture.
As a leader, you’re shaping the future of your organization. When you summon your best, lead with empathy, and keep your eyes on the vision, you move from chaos to flow—and you bring your team with you.
That’s where the magic happens.
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