Sometimes the change lands on your desk, and you didn’t ask for it. A new strategy from above. A layoff decision. A shift in hours. A competitor’s surprise move. You’re still expected to lead your team through it.

In this episode of The Fault Line, hosts Gary Lancina and Kim Scribner dig into what it takes to lead through change you didn’t choose, especially when you’re not sure it’s the right call. They cover the different flavors of imposed change, from the ones you’re excited about to the ones you don’t believe in. They share stories from their own careers, including pushing back on an initiative, delivering hard news, and pivoting when events outside anyone’s control change the plan.

In this episode:

• Why limited visibility, like seeing the world through a knothole, can lead to the wrong conclusions about a change
• How to lead with curiosity and ask “why” even when you’re several levels down
• Why you need to deal with your own emotions before you communicate a change to your team
• How being transparent about what you know and don’t know builds trust
• Why the way your culture handles the question “why” says a lot about it
• Why change is a skill you can build, and how to practice it
• How to understand your own agency: pick your battles, advocate for what you believe, and make your choice

Collaboration doesn’t mean consensus, but you always have a choice in how you respond.

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