Leading Through Change: From Reaction to Response
1-day Workshop
Significant organisational change is one of the most demanding challenges any leader will face. Whether it is a restructure, a decommissioning programme, or a fundamental shift in how an organisation operates, the impact on people is consistently greater than organisations anticipate.
The reality is that change of this magnitude can feel, to those living through it, much like grief. It carries an emotional weight that affects how people think, how decisions get made, how they perform, and how safely they work. When leaders do not understand this, the consequences are felt everywhere: in lost productivity, reduced efficiency, and a workforce quietly struggling while the organisation presses forward.
FidesOak®'s Leading Through Change: From Reaction to Response is a one-day workshop designed to equip leaders with the insight, models, and strategies they need to navigate themselves and their teams through periods of significant change, while keeping the organisation safe, functional, and ready for what comes next.
The challenges organisations face during change
Even well-led organisations can underestimate what significant change asks of their people. The most common challenges include:
- Underestimating the emotional impact. Change of this scale registers for people in ways that parallel grief, affecting mood, motivation, focus, and behaviour in ways that are not always visible or predictable.
- Variable and non-linear responses. People do not move through change at the same pace or in the same direction. Leaders who expect a uniform response will miss the individuals who need them most.
- Safety implications. When people are preoccupied with the uncertainty of change, their capacity for vigilance and safe decision making is reduced, creating risk that organisations may not immediately connect to the change itself.
- Difficult conversations that cannot be avoided. Significant change generates the kind of conversations that many leaders find uncomfortable. Without the right approach, these moments can damage trust, escalate tension, or be avoided entirely when they most need to happen.
- The leader's own experience of change. Leaders are not immune to the impact of change. They face the same emotional responses as their teams, while also being expected to lead others through it.
What participants will experience
This workshop takes a human-centred approach, using three interconnected models to build a complete picture of how change unfolds, why people respond the way they do, and how leaders can act with greater awareness and skill throughout.
Participants explore the Kübler-Ross Change Curve, understanding the different emotional stages people move through during significant change, from shock and denial through to acceptance and integration. Crucially, they learn that this process is not linear. People can move backwards and forwards through these stages, and no two people will hit them at the same time. Leaders develop their noticing skills, learning to anticipate and recognise where their people are on that curve and what each stage asks of them as leaders.
The workshop then introduces David Rock's SCARF model, exploring the five social domains, Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness, that can trigger a threat response during change. Participants examine how each of these manifests in real organisational settings: the colleague who feels sidelined, the team unsettled by rumour, the person for whom important relationships are coming to a close. Understanding what is being threatened allows leaders to respond with care and intention, rather than assumption.
The final element addresses challenging conversations, drawing on the Thomas-Kilmann model of conflict modes. Leaders explore their own preferred style, whether that is avoidance, accommodation, compromise, competition, or collaboration, and develop the awareness that no single approach is always right. The skill is in recognising which style best serves the person and the situation, and having the confidence to draw on it accordingly.
Together, these three models form a coherent framework. SCARF explains the trigger, Kübler-Ross explains the emotional response that follows, and Thomas-Kilmann describes the behaviour that results and the options available to the leader in addressing it.
Outcomes for organisations
By the end of this workshop, leaders will be equipped to:
- Recognise where individuals are on the change curve and respond with the right support at the right time.
- Identify the social threats that change creates and take considered steps to protect Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness across their teams.
- Approach challenging conversations with greater confidence, knowing which style to draw on and why.
- Reflect on their own experience of change and manage it alongside their responsibilities to their team.
- Help preserve the safety, stability, and cohesion of the organisation through the transition and beyond.
At FidesOak®, we recognise that the human side of change is frequently underestimated, and that leaders are often expected to manage it without adequate preparation or support. This workshop addresses that directly. It gives leaders a grounded understanding of what change asks of people, the tools to see it more clearly, and the confidence to respond in ways that protect both individuals and the organisation as it moves forward.
Interested in bringing this Workshop to your Organisation?
Contact us today to discuss delivery options and receive a tailored price for your team.
The Culture-Performance Connection
How your people lead, collaborate and approach each day is led by your organisation's culture and affects the work you do and how your teams perform.
FidesOak® can help you understand this connection clearly, with behavioural insight and practical tools to help protect and grow what works, while delivering lasting, sustainable change.
