Once a reorganization goes live, leaders are no longer waiting. They are in it. The organization is looking for rapid signs of momentum. Executives are being asked to make calls quickly, show decisive leadership, and validate that the new model is working.
But in reality, most leaders are still figuring out their new context. Teams are re-forming. Work is being uncovered. And no one yet has full visibility into how everything fits together.
This is the tension of the early days. The pressure to move fast and deliver results collides with the reality that long-term, scalable success depends on something slower—defining roles, building trust, establishing connection, and understanding what is really going on.
The Reality: You’re Expected to Perform in a System You’re Still Learning
Your new role may be official, but the environment around you is still unstable. You might be leading a team you have never met, working in a part of the business that is new to you, and trying to navigate decisions with incomplete information.
Meanwhile, others are looking to you for answers and there is no time to reflect and analyze the right path forward. Here are steps that will help you achieve this balance and create impact for yourself and your teams quickly, while staying on course.
Five Things Great Leaders Do During the Transition
Balance Decisiveness with Discovery
The instinct is to prove yourself by acting quickly. But decisive leadership is not about speed alone. Take these steps to check your actions.
- Make informed decisions with short-term relevance while signaling you’re still learning the broader system. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and show your curiosity.
- Be transparent about what you do and don’t yet know and ask your team to help close the gaps.
Establish Connection Before Authority
There’s often a quiet fear: “if I don’t assert control early, I’ll lose credibility.” But trust is built by showing interest, not just issuing direction. Now’s the time to tap into your humility and:
- Start by listening. Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions. Seek clarification and insights.
- Assume the team knows things you don’t and is closer to the work than you are.
- Focus on learning how the team functions before trying to improve it.
Expect the Unexpected and Normalize It
Every reorganization brings surprises. Legacy work emerges. Assumptions break. Systems misfire. Communications get blurred. Now is the time to dial up your composure.
- Stay calm and curious. Your reaction shapes how others respond.
- Resist the urge to assign blame or fix everything. Learn from what surfaces.
Lead with Questions, Not Just Answers
At this stage, in the thick of transition, leaders have more influence on their teams and the outcomes through the questions they ask than the commands they give. Take these 2 actions to flex this muscle:
- Identify a few consistent questions that signal what matters to you and encourage deeper thinking.
- Genuinely ask for input—you will build credibility and sharpen your own decisions if you make it clear you really want to know.
Be Steady in the Chaos
So many organizations equate competence with rapid action and a show of strength and command. But during disruption, consistency of presence becomes your greatest asset. Two powerful ways to communicate this are:
- Show up predictably, especially when conditions are unpredictable.
- Make it clear that your priority is helping the team succeed, not showcasing your own capability.
Four Common Transition Pitfalls to Avoid
Pitfall #1: Moving fast without understanding the system you’re operating in. Context is key to successfully navigating the new landscape. Check yourself that you’re not trading speed for comprehension.
Pitfall #2: Defaulting to past experience that doesn’t match the new context. Remember that what served you well in the past is not necessary what you need to do to lead now. It takes effort to avoid falling back on old ways of getting things done, but now’s the time to lead differently.
Pitfall #3: Trying to “look strong” instead of building the strength of the team. There’s no need for heroes in leading through change. This saps your own energy and undermines your team’s ability to operate successfully, together, in the new paradigm.
Pitfall #4: Assuming trust will come later. It starts now. If you wait to build the trust of your team—and your own – when it comes to the new organization, it will be too late. Now’s the team to lean into that critical foundation.
Key Takeaways
- In the first 30 days, leaders must balance the urgency to act with the discipline to listen.
- Trust is not a soft skill, it is the foundation for sustainable performance.
- The way you show up now will be remembered long after the reorganization dust settles.
Call to Action: in the Transition
If you are in the early days of a new leadership role post-reorg, ask yourself:
“Am I earning the trust that will let me lead through what’s next, not just what’s now?
