Navigating Workplace Reorganization: How to Adapt, Lead, and Thrive Through Change

As a kid, I played a board game where each player rolled dice to move a peg along a path. The board had a cardboard template with a path printed on it, aligning over the peg holes. But if someone rolled a six, we had to lay a new template with a new path on top, completely reshuffling the game. Suddenly, the leader could be behind or stuck in "Muddy Gulch," needing a five to escape, while the last-place player might jump in front of everyone else.

Why Workplace Reorganizations Feel So Disruptive and How to Adapt

Reorganizations feel a lot like that game. One moment, you are leading; the next, you are navigating an unexpected detour. Industry-based sales teams become geography-based. Product-specific support teams suddenly cover all products for a time zone. Centralized HR splits into HR Business Partner teams, assigned to divisions, each with its own rules. None of these shifts are inherently good or bad. They succeed or fail based on execution. However, it’s often the change itself that can cause issues. In addition, it frequently means new managers, and we all know that our careers can be significantly affected by our manager's investment, or lack thereof, in our progression. Someone rolls a six, and suddenly, you find yourself in “Muddy Gulch.”

The unwelcome news is that reorganizing will likely remain a business strategy until the end of time. The good news is that you can endure it and use it as an opportunity to shine.

Focus on What You Were Hired to Do

You weren’t hired to work for Bob, but now you do. You weren’t hired to work in the “ABC Division,” but now you do. You were hired to do a job; your skills and contributions define your value. Keep doing that job well. Keep improving. Don’t wait for the new boss to give you a new direction.

Character Matters More Than Ever

In almost every management meeting where we had to reassign people, information was needed about how good they were at their particular function. However, outstanding leaders also wanted to know about their character: Are they initiative-takers? Do they act like owners of the things assigned to them? Are they 'finishers,' seeing things through to the end? Are they committed to quality on anything that has their name on it? The best managers know that if you give them someone with those traits, that person can do almost anything well, whether they have a lot of experience in the new area or not. So, what's the message? Self-start, own your assignments, be a finisher, and commit that anything with your name will be done well, whether you are the project leader or a bit player.

Don't Be the Expert on What's Wrong: Be the One Who Makes It Work

The corporate restructuring may be a stroke of brilliance. Maybe it looks like it will create as many problems as it solves. Either way, help it succeed. It is easy to become a spectator. Be one of the ones trying to help it move forward.

The Reorg Reality: It’s Disruptive, But It Is Also an Opportunity

I have been reorg’d, and I have had to reorg others. There is no magic formula to guarantee smooth sailing. But showing up strong, building resilience, adapting with character, and leaning into the change? That can be a solid way to find success and a little peace amidst the chaos.

Workplace change is inevitable, but how you lead through it defines your success. A coaching-first approach helps leaders and teams build resilience, adapt confidently, and create stability—even in uncertainty. Explore our latest insights on navigating workplace transitions or connect with us to see how coaching can support your team’s growth through change.