When Andy Cindrich was a 29-year-old school principal, he thought he was on top of the world, until he was suddenly let go from his job. “That was a huge disruption in my life,” Cindrich shared in a fireside chat at From Day One’s Salt Lake City event.

The news came at the worst possible time, just as he was building a new home and expecting his second child. But by being open to new opportunities and finding his niche, he eventually landed at the renowned FranklinCovey, where he is now a leadership and effectiveness consultant, executive coach, and keynote speaker.

In a conversation moderated by Steve Koepp, From Day One co-founder and chief content officer, Cindrich discussed his new book Change: How to Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity, offering guidance on how to engage teams throughout the process and build the skills to pilot your team through the waters of disruptive change.

Navigating the Discomfort of Change

“The prism of change is a great way to look at how to make companies work better,” said Koepp. But it also makes many people uncomfortable. While it’s easy to see the navigation of change as a victory in hindsight, in the moment it can be discouraging. Cindrich notes feeling “a lot of fear and a lot of anger at how it happened” during his own transition out of school administration.

It’s important for leaders to remember the emotional turmoil that change can cause, especially as they build a pathway forward. “When we get too focused on the process, when we forget the emotion that people experience when they go through change and we don’t give them a safe space, some psychological safety, to talk about how they’re feeling about the change, we’re not going to make progress,” Cindrich said. It’s important to guide teams toward the point of decision, Cindrich says, “where they can say, ‘I didn’t choose the change, it happened to me and I don’t like it. But I can stay within my circle of influence and work in ways that that I can own to make the change of benefit for me.’”

This applies to something as minor as an internal software change, or as major as a merger or acquisition. It’s best to focus on what you can control and “own the change,” rather than let change own you, Cindrich advises. A culture that allows people to be vulnerable and share their best ideas can help make a successful change. 

The Four Zones of Change

In his book Change: How to Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity, Cindrich identifies the four zones of organizational change: 

1. The status quo (prepare): Even during times of consistency, acknowledge that change can happen at any time and be ready for it. This can include professional development both individually and organizationally to prepare for forecasted trends. 
2. The disruption zone (clarify): This is the moment when change starts happening, and leaders should be in constant dialogue with their teams and stakeholders to provide information to make them feel secure and get them on board.
3. The adoption zone (persist): In this zone, leaders not only must “stay engaged in the fight,” Cindrich said, but also help others persist in the face of obstacles. “This zone is where change goes to die,” he said. It’s where leaders might get frustrated if they don’t see immediate success or face too much friction.
4. The innovation zone (explore): This zone is the most dangerous, Cindrich says, because the temptation is to return to the status quo and a sense of relief. But “what a horrific waste of resources” to go through all that change for nothing. Instead, Cindrich said, “In the zone of innovation, it’s all about inspiring ourselves and others to explore what’s possible because of what we just went through.”

Franklin Covey itself has gone through significant change during Cindrich’s time with the company. No longer just the planner people, the company has transitioned from physical products to providing an online platform called “All Access Pass” that enables asynchronous learning in 21 languages for people all over the world. The company thrived by anticipating and embracing shifts in technology and culture.

Common Reactions to Change

Immediate reaction to change is often, but not always, negative. Cindrich elaborates on the five common responses to change. First, there are early adopters, the people who move toward the change. There are also those who minimize their reaction, people who wait, the most common response, thinking “this too shall pass.” And then there are people who resist and people who quit. Each of these reactions are useful, Cindrich says, and leaders can learn from each. And they should also prepare for each as they develop their transition strategies.

Balancing Empathy and Speed

“The pace of change is not getting less. It’s faster and more furious and more impactful than it’s ever been for a lot of reasons,” Cindrich said. It’s important to recognize that this is “just about people, it’s about being empathic to the way people are experiencing the change, and giving them some space to process it and get to a point where they can confidently commit to it,” Cindrich said.

It’s tempting to have less empathy as a leader when you feel like your team is pushing back in the face of disruption. Cindrich says responding with patience and grace is key. “We have to have a sense that they’re making progress, asking great questions, trying to figure out what's possible for them and for their team and organization when they get to the other side of it.”

Ultimately, it comes down to trust. “When you have a high trust organization,” Cindrich said, “what we find is that the depth of the disruption will be a lot less, and the time that it takes to get to innovation will be compressed.”

Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, and CBS New York.