Coaching through change: supporting others in uncertain times
Change is a constant in today’s workplace - restructures, new systems, leadership shifts, evolving strategies. There’s not an organisation that I am currently working with that isn’t going major disruptive and significant change.
And while change itself might be organisational, the experience of navigating it is deeply personal.
As internal coaches or leaders and managers using a coaching approach, we’re often in the dual role of supporting others through change while also going through it ourselves.
That’s a tough ask, and it’s why taking a thoughtful, human-centred approach is more important than ever.
Coaching Through Strong Emotions
Change can stir up strong emotions - anxiety, anger, guilt, even apathy. These are normal responses, but they can be hard to sit with. And they can be really challenging to surface and discuss.
As internal coaches, and leaders and managers, it can be easy to feel a little out of our depth when we start to get into these types of conversations. But remember we’re not there to fix, or to act in the role of counsellor. Our role is to:
Hold space for reflection and emotional processing
Acknowledge and normalise emotional responses
Help coachees regulate intensity and move towards insight
Know when to signpost to other sources of support if needed
We also need to be aware of our own emotional triggers. If you’re navigating uncertainty yourself, it’s easy to become entangled in others’ experiences. That’s why boundaries, supervision, and ongoing self-reflection are essential.
A Coaching Mindset in Action
Whether you’re an internal coach or a leader taking a coaching approach, here are a few questions that can help you support others through change:
What feels most different for you right now?
Where are you feeling stuck or unsettled?
What’s the impact of this change on you - practically and emotionally?
What do you need to let go of? What might that take?
What feels unclear or ambiguous for you right now?
Where do you need clarity, and how might you go about finding it?
What’s in your control? What isn’t?
What might be emerging in this change that you hadn’t expected?
Where could this be an opportunity for growth or learning?
How are you taking care of yourself through this change?
What would being kind to yourself look like right now?
If you were supporting a friend in the same situation, what would you say to them?
What do you need to hear, from yourself or others, to feel supported?
What’s one step you can take this week to move forward?
What supports would help you most right now?
Supporting people through change doesn’t mean having all the answers - it means creating the space for them to find their own.
When we coach through change with empathy, non-judgemental curiosity, and a little structure, we help others not just cope, but grow and thrive.
A Final Thought
Remember, though, as internal coaches, or leaders and managers taking a coaching approach, we need to consider our own capacity and our boundaries, especially if we are impacted ourselves. We can’t help others at the expense of ourselves.
Creating space for your own reflection, resilience, coaching, supervision, and peer support isn’t a luxury - it’s a necessity for doing this work well.
And, as always, if you would like a chat about how I could help, just get in touch or book a quick call.