You think you’re prepared.
You’ve guided others through disruption.
You’ve preached adaptability, mindset and resilience.
And then one unexpected wave hits you, and suddenly you’re the one under water.
In this episode of 3 Thinkers 1 Goal, Carsten, Günter and Thomas talk about the kind of change that doesn’t wait for your permission: the abrupt, disorienting, sometimes painful shift that knocks the ground out from under your feet.
They explore why even experienced change agents instinctively resist what they didn’t choose, how identity and routine shape our reactions, and why belonging and psychological safety matter more than any roadmap. From “I want things back the way they were” to “Where do I build my windmill now?” This conversation gets real about the human side of transformation.
You’ll hear how small steps, honest reflection, and the people who walk beside us help turn shock into orientation and orientation into progress. And why organizations that ignore the emotional journey behind change risk falling into fatigue long before they reach success.
“Change hits hard. Not because we can’t adapt, but because something familiar is taken away before something new feels safe.”
What has been your toughest moment of change, and what helped you stand again?
Share your experience in the comments below! 📢
If this episode resonates with you, pass it on within your network (use #3T1G).
Further content on the topic of this episode:
2025–2026 Organizational Change Management Trends – on change fatigue and the human limits of constant transformation
Psychology of Change & Resistance (Villanova) – why loss aversion, identity and the status quo shape how people react to change
Global Trends in Change Management 2025 – how continuous change challenges leadership and structures
Change Management Trends 2025 – on culture, belonging and psychological safety during transformationHR Trends Report 2026 – on why leadership capacity is falling behind the pace of change
Hosts & Content: Carsten Massmann, Günter Prömpers, Thomas Schmidt
Voice of intro & outro: Johanna Riel
Postproduction & Publication: Thomas Schmidt