How we navigate change — and how I’m learning to do it better

When everything’s changing — leadership, strategy, even your own team — how do you hold on to what matters? And how do you help others not just survive change, but shape it?

In the work I’ve done in local government — whether in Camden, Adur & Worthing, or with others across the UK — I’ve seen that change isn’t just something we manage. It’s something we live through. Together.

And if we want our organisations to be adaptive, participative and resilient, we need to make change feel less like a corporate rollout and more like a collective experiment.

Here’s what that’s looked like for me and what I’m still learning.

🌱 1. Start with your values — even if things feel messy

Whenever a change kicks off — be it a restructure, a strategy shift or a merger — people can feel disoriented. I’ve been there. Even if you’re leading it, you can feel it too.

That’s why we always come back to values.

I ask:

• What do we want to stand for in this new setup?
• What ways of working do we want to keep?
• What gives us energy — and what drains it?

This reminds me of Northumberland County Council who began a culture change programme by co-designing values with their staff, not just for them. It helped rebuild trust after a difficult period.

I’ve taken a similar approach — framing our team principles as invitations, not rules. Being adaptive means making space for honesty, not perfection.

🎉 2. Celebrate the story so far — and make space to reflect

Change often feels like a rush to move on. But we’ve found that taking time to reflect together makes a huge difference.

At Camden, I started running seasonal “pecha kucha” sessions — short, visual presentations where each team member shares a story or image that captures their work or learning. It’s funny, moving and energising all at once. It reminds us we’re part of something bigger than our job description.

Inside JRF Team

JRF’s Emerging Futures team uses storytelling practices like this to connect across boundaries — helping people hold complexity while keeping humanity front and centre.

Reflection isn’t a break from the work. It is the work.

🧪 3. Test, stretch, and open up the work

When you’re building something new — a function, a service, a whole way of working — it can feel too fragile to share. But we’ve learned that working out loud helps people feel part of it, not scared of it.

I’ve used:

• Empathy tours with frontline staff and residents
• Coaching conversations across teams
• Pop-up clinics to solve real problems together
• ‘Cultural cafes’ to share how our values show up in practice

At Newham Council I’ve used digital tools like Newham Co-create to open up the budget and policy process. People weren’t just being consulted — they were co-shaping the work.

In Camden, we turned council offices into co-working hubs — inspired by LocalGlobe’s Public Hall. It gave teams a chance to work in public, alongside startups and residents alike.

Change doesn’t need to wait for permission. It needs prototypes. And people.

🛠️ Practical steps others can try

Here’s what’s helped me — and might help you:

1. Name the principles, not just the project

Give people something to hold on to that’s bigger than the structure — like Camden’s “We Make Camden” values or Kirklees’ Working Alongside approach.

2. Create social rituals for change

Like story circles, welcome postcards, or informal lunch check-ins — things that make change feel relational, not transactional.

3. Open up leadership roles

Invite people at all levels to shape new roles, shadow decisions, or lead micro-projects — like Wigan’s Be Wigan Behaviours Champions, who help embed values through lived practice.

4. Learn in public

Use blogs, murals, whiteboards, Slack threads — whatever works. Just don’t let learning sit in documents no one sees.

5. Balance stability and stretch

Protect core relationships and routines, even while inviting experimentation.

💬 How are you navigating change?

I’m still figuring it out. Change feels different every time. But what grounds us is working with empathy, acting with intention, and being open to stretch.

If you’re trying to navigate or lead change right now — I’d love to hear your reflections.

• What helped?
• What surprised you?
• What would you do differently next time?

Drop me a message, share a story, or leave a comment below.

Let’s keep learning — together.