Building Team Resilience in the Face of Change Fatigue
By Paige Douglass
Change fatigue is real…and it’s taking a toll on the workforce. In today’s constantly shifting work environments, teams are being asked to adapt to new tools, processes, and priorities at an unprecedented rate. They feel under-resourced while also under pressure to make significant changes fast. The result? Exhaustion, disengagement, and a growing sense of uncertainty.
As Holly Burkett noted in TD Magazine (September 2025), change fatigue “reflects the capacity to accommodate change—not the desire or ability—and can drain support, no matter how well companies plan or execute the change.” When the pace of change outstrips the capacity to absorb it, even the most well-intentioned initiatives can falter.
How can leaders help their teams not just survive today’s constant environmental changes, but thrive? The answer lies in building resilience and adaptability as team (not just individual) capabilities. Resilience is relational and cultural. It’s shaped by how leaders show up, communicate, and support their people. Leaders must prepare their teams to be “change ready” and re-invigorate teams at the individual and group level to achieve shared progress and foster resilience.
Six Leadership Behaviors That Build Team Resilience
1. Empathize and Connect
Resilient teams begin with human connection. Leaders who listen actively and without judgment create space for trust and psychological safety. As Shawn McCann and colleagues wrote in the American Journal of Health Promotion, “…listening serves as a powerful means of learning and connecting emotionally with others.”
Storytelling and listening are foundational to the human experience. They allow for the sharing of information, the communication of emotion, and the cultivation of compassion. When leaders engage with their teams through authentic dialogue, they foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose, which are critical ingredients for resilience.
Leadership Tip: Practice deep, empathic listening with both staff and customers. Ask open-ended questions, pause before responding, and repeat back what you hear. Try to listen with a clear mind and set aside any cognitive bias. Build trust by showing that every voice matters.
2. Acknowledge Current Realities
Resilience doesn’t mean ignoring difficulty, it means facing it head on. Leaders must name the real challenges their customers and teams are experiencing and validate the emotions that come with them. When people feel seen and heard, they’re more likely to stay engaged and committed.
Leadership Tip: Start team meetings by acknowledging what’s hard. Invite team members to share their experiences and emotions. Normalize the discomfort of change.
3. Prioritize What Matters Most
In times of change, clarity is a gift. Steven Covey said to “Keep the main thing the main thing.” Leaders can reduce overwhelm by helping teams focus on what is essential to their customers. This means setting clear priorities, aligning on goals, and eliminating distractions.
Leadership Tip: Use frameworks like “Must-Should-Could-Won’t” to help teams triage tasks. Revisit priorities regularly and adjust as needed.
4. Communicate Clearly and Often
Uncertainty breeds anxiety. Leaders can counter this by reinforcing two-way communication—ensuring information flows up and down the organization. This means actively listening to teams and customers, sharing updates transparently, and removing barriers that hinder progress. Clear, frequent communication helps teams stay aligned and feel supported.
Leadership Tip: Establish regular check-ins and feedback channels. Share updates (even when there’s no new information to share) to maintain trust and momentum. Use feedback to identify and clear obstacles that may be slowing progress.
5. Listen (Again)
Resilience thrives in environments where leaders reinforce continuous learning and close feedback loops. Listening once is not enough—when leaders follow up and follow through on feedback and lessons learned, customers and staff feel heard and that leaders value their ideas. In turn, leaders create a culture of growth and accountability.
Leadership Tip: Build structured feedback loops into your team’s workflow. After implementing a change or completing a project, revisit the original input: What worked? What didn’t? What did we learn? Use surveys, hotwashes, or informal check-ins to ensure customer and staff voices are heard not just once, but throughout the change effort.
6. Celebrate Progress to Build Momentum
Change is hard, but progress is energizing. Recognizing your team’s effort and results, no matter how small, can help sustain motivation and build a sense of accomplishment. If the team gained a significant insight through prototyping and testing a new process, system, or change effort, celebrate the learning and how it will be applied going forward.
Leadership Tip: Celebrate small wins publicly. Highlight stories of resilience and adaptability. Use recognition to reinforce desired behaviors and values.
Conclusion
Change fatigue may be here to stay, but its impact doesn’t have to be. By practicing intentional leadership behaviors, leaders can build resilient teams that are equipped to navigate uncertainty with confidence and cohesion. Resilience isn’t just a personal trait—it’s a collective capability. And it starts with how leaders lead.