Change is Calling: How Will You Respond?
Annie Spratt via Unsplash
The tighter we cling to the way things have been, the more we brace ourselves against the unknown of what could be. Yet, deep down, we know this truth: with every change comes the possibility—the hope—that things might actually get better.
Years ago, life felt simpler. Predictable. Our fears were familiar, even comfortable in their way. But today? The ground beneath our feet feels less steady. The unknown stretches out before us like an unmarked map.
Everything is moving faster now. It’s as if Moore’s Law is tapping us on the shoulder, impatiently asking for its old job back. The pace of change is relentless. But isn’t it always? The real question is, how do we respond?
Recently, with the loss that came with the wildfires in California, I’ve heard every kind of reaction from colleagues and clients. Some said, “Today was rough for me” Others offered, “I still believe tomorrow will be better.”
Maybe that’s the essence of leadership in turbulent times: having the humility to admit we don’t have all the answers, the empathy to listen, and the courage to move forward anyway.
And so, we arrive at a choice—a change of course, if you will.
If only the world worked like an Excel spreadsheet: clear, orderly, predictable. But life? Life is anything but a tidy workbook. Life is messy. It’s situational. Tomorrow doesn’t come with guarantees.
Think back to the earliest days of the pandemic. In an instant, everything we thought was durable—our systems, our routines, even our sense of control—was turned on its head. It forced us to confront heartache, loss, and the fragility of it all. But in that disruption, something else took root: innovation.
We adapted. We changed the way we work, consume, connect, and create. Just last week, a young professional shared with me, “I’ve never been more productive. Remote work eliminated all the wasted time.”
How did we navigate that kind of change? Through love, hope, and resilience—built day by day, moment by moment. With every challenge, we transformed the unknown into the known, and fear into something closer to hope.
That’s the work of leadership today: not predicting tomorrow, but seeing today clearly enough to navigate it. The reality is that change will keep coming. It’s not waiting for us, and neither should we wait for it.
Through it all—each unexpected curve, setback, and victory—we’re quietly building resilience. It doesn’t always feel like it, but it’s there, taking shape in the background.
But here’s the thing about resilience: it’s not passive. Leadership demands action. If we sit still, the circumstances will change us. That’s the paradox of this moment: everything is shifting, and yet the only way forward is to act with clarity and purpose, even in uncertainty.
Leadership today is not like crossing a finish line. It’s more like being a gardener. You plant seeds without knowing how the weather will turn. You pull weeds that seem to grow back faster than you can clear them. You nurture what you can, water what’s dry, and hope that over time, with care and patience, you’ll cultivate something lasting.
As the writer and activist Audre Lorde once said, “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
So, here we are. One foot in front of the other. Planting seeds, tending the garden, and trusting that in time, something beautiful will grow.
