When Change Feels Like a Storm, Curiosity Is the Anchor

Fall is here, reminding us that change is inevitable. This past month, I’ve crisscrossed the country, working with leaders at every level. In boardrooms, breakout rooms, and coffee conversations, one theme was impossible to ignore: change is everywhere, and it’s exhausting.

LinkedIn reports that 64% of professionals feel overwhelmed by the pace of workplace change, and burnout mentions in employee reviews are at an all-time high (up 32% year-over-year).

At the same time, professionals are signaling something powerful: since 2022, they’ve been adding new skills to their LinkedIn profiles at a rate that’s up 140%. The willingness to adapt is there. The energy to prepare is there.

And yet… the fatigue still shows up. The fear still lingers.

Why? Because change doesn’t live on spreadsheets or project plans. It lives in people. And too often, we push people through disruption without first building the trust, safety, and connection that make change feel navigable.

The truth is: people don’t fear change as much as they fear change without support.

This is the leadership work of 2026:

Connection before disruption: Are you creating psychological safety—that sense of connection that builds trust—so your team already feels grounded when change comes?

Curiosity before certainty: Are you asking questions that matter when your team is navigating change?

• What can I do to make this easier for my team?

• Where can we lean into each other’s strengths to move through this change together?

• Am I willing to be vulnerable and admit I don’t have all the answers?

• What can I learn by asking my peers how they're navigating change?

Belonging before performance: Employees who strongly feel they belong are 56% more productive and 50% less likely to leave. Belonging isn’t a perk. It’s fuel for resilience.

This is the essence of the What If Mindset™: shifting from fatigue and fear → to curiosity, connection, and transformation.

✨ What If change didn’t drain us, but unlocked possibility? ✨ What If curiosity became the superpower leaders leaned on in 2026? ✨ What If belonging was the antidote to burnout?

This week, I’ll be sharing the official launch of the What If Mindset™ Framework. It’s a practical approach—through workshops, keynotes, and retreats—for leaders who want to anchor their teams through disruption and help them perform at their highest level.

Because the next era of work won’t be defined by avoiding change. It will be defined by how boldly we ask: What If?

As you plan for 2026, are you asking the right questions about how your team will navigate change—and come out stronger on the other side?

Where are the gaps? Where do you need the most support?

I’d love to partner with you. Drop a comment, share your perspective, or send me a message and let’s explore how the What If Mindset™ can help your team transform change into its greatest advantage.