Seasons of change

Reflections on uncertainty, meaning, and quiet wisdom

A sweeping feeling envelops. Like waves, one after another. At times in tandem, the swirls of uncertainty prevail. The common platitude ‘change is constant’ comes easily to mind. And yet, the necessary equanimity to embody such a statement is seemingly ever so elusive.

Whilst much examined, most literature and education on change consider its mechanics and process. Tools, strategies, and the ‘management’ of change are often discussed. Top tips, with instructions to move from Point A to Point B in a bullet-point list, illustrate what to remember. We nearly deceive ourselves, implying that we can smoothly shift people and process if only we follow a well-known model.

I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve been witnessing how the steep thresholds of change are permeating individuals and collectives alike. Changing circumstances—personally, professionally, local, and global—are ever-present. In daily rhythms, echoes of uncertainty persist. Tides shift, directives cascade, and ambiguity grows. Fear and reactivity replace thoughtful and deliberate responses, and protective measures carry consequences.

Recognizing rising rumination, I noticed the need to step back. To nourish myself and find steady ground. So, with intention, I took a pause.

A family visit to the UK ensued, and one afternoon I found myself in a favourite spot: a beloved bookshop called Barter Books, tucked away in an old railway station in Northumberland. It’s a treasure trove of literary delights, with a model train that runs overhead, evoking smiles from children of all ages.

Beautiful Barter Books in Northumberland

As I contemplated the trade-offs of luggage limits and the numerous beautifully bound books in hand, I came across a 90-year-old first edition of The End of the Road by Margaret Cropper¹. A selection of poems, most of which reflect on the intersections of life and nature, is printed on the rugged, toffee-hued pages.

Clutching my newest, most-cherished possession, I came across one poem that particularly spoke to me: Says September.

‘Says September’ by Margaret Cropper

Immediately, I was delighted by the poet’s imagination in depicting two months of the year in conversation. Such creativity never fails to evoke awe.

Not long after, I found myself identifying with the perspectives of both August and September. How often have I been a resistant August? Complaining, in dismay, tsk-tsking at all that will be lost.

And yet, I’ve also been September. Recognizing the necessity of change, seeing the value in shifts, even while acknowledging their consequences.

‘My friend, we are not May or June? Why pretend?’

This line feels especially poignant as I notice how economic shifts are governing decisions and influencing the uncertainty which continues to rise. We’re not in a period of particular abundance right now so why pretend we can keep going on as we have, in the ‘brazen’ ways of summer? Wise choices are being contemplated by many, with careful considerations of short-, medium-, and long-term implications.

As my attention shifted to September’s lens, I began to wonder: what generates that deep sense of knowing it seems to hold? September appears to bring a quiet recognition of the necessity of change. I mean, without a shift to autumn—and subsequently winter and spring—could summer ever truly be summer at all?

New growth spotted while wandering through Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver

The meaning of change

Let’s acknowledge that change is not zero-sum. Individual impact contrasts with the collective. What may negatively affect one (August) could benefit the whole (the seasons, whose vitality requires a period of wintering). How do we measure this disparity? The perspective-taking required to identify what is helped, and conversely hindered, by any given change is immense.

Undoubtedly, I’m not naive in thinking that all change is positive, nor that it is always initiated with the best of intentions for the greater whole, even if there may always be some, however small, notion of good intent. Despite this, I often wonder: what gifts are possible in change? Even when we experience limited agency with regards to a change, what is there to learn, grow, or evolve as a result?

A lesson from the movie Collateral Beauty comes to mind. While struggling with a tremendous loss, a character is advised to look for “collateral beauty”—to notice and savour the beauty that emerges from tragedy: acts of kindness and expressions of love that might not have occurred otherwise. In such noticing, whether in small or profound struggles, the potential for hope and healing can emerge.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

- Fred Rogers

Both September and the message in Collateral Beauty share something quite powerful. Perhaps they share a way of seeing and believing. This type of quiet confidence and wisdom could be a matter of spirituality and worldviews. Of mental maps and values.

The beliefs we hold about why things occur as they do can be deeply personal. One's views on free will and fate all add dramatic hues to our experiences of change. The peaks and valleys of our inner landscapes are painted with the brushstrokes of our past, purpose, and preferences.

An invitation: Examining beliefs

Strengthening our self-awareness is instrumental in navigating disruption and uncertainty. Using the prompts below, reflect on your beliefs about change:

• How does change occur, and who holds responsibility and influence over it? At what level(s) and context(s) can one control or manage change?

• What matters about how we approach change? What personal values guide you in times of uncertainty, and what influences these values?

• Reflect on your patterns of attention during change. Do they tend to gravitate toward a part, the whole, or the greater whole? What helps you shift perspective to strengthen empathy and understanding?

• Consider the concept of ‘collateral beauty’ in a change you’ve struggled with. While it may be quite straightforward to recall the collateral damage, take time to meditate on what has been helpful. What benefit(s) have emerged? How, and for whom?

“I live for miracles in my life these days. Not the earth-changing, light-bringing, soul-powering kind. But the ones that carve out a small space of peace where before there was only the jumble of resentment, fear and doubt. The ones that happen from choosing to live the right way.” - Richard Wagamese²

Finding miracles near the North Sea

Leading others through change

As leaders, formal and otherwise, opportunities exist for us to reflect on our contributions amid the changes we face. How we persevere, despite challenges, can generate ripples beyond our current awareness and intention.

Since experiences of change are uniquely shaped, one-size-fits-all approaches for leaders typically yield limited success. However, many scholars are committed to uncovering patterns that could positively shift how we approach change initiatives. The Change Lab, led by Michelle McQuaid, studied the experiences of over one thousand people navigating organizational change. Their research illuminated a virtuous cycle between workers’ wellbeing, leadership approaches to change, and the success of the change initiatives³.

Thus, when leaders adopted an ‘invite-and-inquire’ approach—rather than the traditional ‘command-and-control’—both wellbeing and change success rates improved. Who leaders are, the character and values they embody, and their attention towards impact all matter. The ‘and’ between navigating change and supporting wellbeing is crucial.

So how can this be created, you might ask? The Change Lab suggests five sources:

1. Driven by organizational purpose. When organizations identify and communicate a sense of purpose beyond financial success, leaders at all levels guide their teams in ways that connect them to a greater mission and align efforts accordingly.

2. Concentrated on strengths. Broadening and building from strengths, rather than focusing solely on fixing weaknesses. With an appreciative mindset, leaders can recognize and encourage individual and collective contributions.

3. Led by inclusive and meaningful conversations. Creating intentional space for diverse perspectives about the work ahead and hopes for the future fosters shared understanding and increases the likelihood that changes will be successful.

4. Powered by opportunities for purposeful self-organization. When individuals and teams can move ideas into action using their unique strengths and expertise.

5. Sustained by people’s willing commitment. Rather than compliance, this involves people willingly choosing to implement the changes. The difference between “you must now..” and “would you be willing to…” can be quite stark.

Let’s pause for a moment to revisit the term virtuous cycle referenced above. At first glance, my mind swiftly interpreted it as the more familiar phrase vicious cycle. Did yours too?

Notice the distinction:

• a vicious cycle amplifies what is painful, causes harm, moves us away from what we need, want, and hope for.

• a virtuous cycle amplifies what is life-giving and generative, moving us closer to what we need, want, and hope for.

With great regularity, we identify and name the patterns of vicious cycles—and for good reason! We want to minimize and mitigate what is negative. Yet in doing so, we can be left with very clear pictures of all the places we’re stuck without knowing how to move forward.

In positive psychology and positive organizational scholarship, we also encourage identifying and investing in the patterns that are sources of strength and vitality. When we seek and build from areas of existing success, even small positive deviant exemplars⁴, we are bolstered by lighthouses of possibility and the multiplication of that which is good and well.

“Beauty, goodness, excellence—our world is replete without them—and should we wish to steward this world so that those to come experience them as well, then it behooves us to pause, notice, savour, and elevate them whenever and wherever we can.” - Maria Sirois⁵

A morning wander in Wales, where awe abounds!

Fostering wellbeing in change

Ultimately, the ability for us to adapt—to be the tree with strong roots that can sway in the winds rather than break from immense gusts—requires resourcing. This is true for everyone, and can be even more crucial for leaders who in addition to their own wellbeing need to attend to the wellbeing of their teams.

Many years ago, I became enamoured with the concept of psychological capital. Despite a name that bears academic formality, it has inspired me many times over. Fred Luthans and colleagues have studied this theory for over 25 years⁶. What’s unique about this concept is that it measures states, things we can develop and grow, rather than traits (which we generally have or don’t have).

This theory encourages tapping into the HERO within us all during change, which includes four resources: Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, Optimism (HERO). While individually beneficial, the combination of all four resources are considered to be more effective together than separate⁷.

• HOPE: To generate hope, we can consider questions like: “what is the future that I/we wish to create?” and “how can I/we get there?”. This component invites us to begin to identify multiple pathways towards a desired future. When actions, no matter how minute or grand, demonstrate alignment with these aims, we build momentum towards our goals.

• EFFICACY: An opportunity to explore the strengths we hold, particularly those that can support us in this moment. When have we faced something similar, and how did we navigate it? Even if you haven’t had direct experience, consider those who have and the strengths they utilized.

• RESILIENCE: Luthans defines resilience as “the capacity to rebound or bounce back from adversity, conflict, failure or even positive events, progress and increased responsibility”⁸. Approaches that boost resilience include adopting a mindfulness practice and generating empowering internal dialogues (e.g., shifting from self-defeating and absolute language like “I’m always letting others down” to realistic and constructive thoughts such as “I made a mistake, and I can make amends”).

• OPTIMISM: Optimism enables us to generate motivation and commitment. One of my favourite activities is the Best Possible Self writing exercise⁹, which invites you to spend 20 minutes a day for four consecutive days vividly imagining and describing a future in which everything has gone as well as it possibly could. I’ve done this in anticipation of big transitions and have found much more ease and optimism following this simple practice.

If we wish to generate positive shifts and make thoughtful decisions, attending to our wellbeing is essential. The four elements above, while not capable of removing or resolving the challenges we face, support both individual and collective resourcing. They don't require intensive actions either—a focus on integrated practices can create consistent nudges towards wellness.

For example, my team shares weekly online updates that include prompts about what we’re proud of, the work we’re looking forward to, and actions we’re choosing to create wellbeing for ourselves, each other, and our community (the latter being one of our team’s shared agreements). By inviting a variety of responses, I aim to create space for all of the HERO elements mentioned above.

These updates not only encourage individual reflection, but I also notice the impact of reading others’ updates. It’s almost like a vicarious HERO boost, adding fuel to my mornings and afternoons as I witness the strength and commitment shown week after week.

“We should not only see mindfulness as a tool for stress relief, but rather something more strategic. It helps people make sense of discomfort, rather than simply endure it.

By creating a bit of distance from emotional reactions, mindfulness allows leaders to reflect more clearly, question old assumptions, and adapt. It’s not about feeling better—it’s about seeing differently. And in the context of leadership, that shift in perspective can be a turning point for real development.” - Pisitta Vongswasdi¹⁰

The bloom of a beginning

It’s been several weeks since that serendipitous day in Barter Books; yet the moment of kinship I felt upon encountering Margaret Cropper’s Says September continues. Each time my attention drifts toward the tensions of change, I return to what grounds me, nourishes me, and quietly promises to guide me on the path ahead.

In my hands, I hold a braid of hope pulled taut, with one hand bearing acceptance and the other harnessing agency.

Although moments of unsteadiness and fatigue persist, I do my best to keep trusting—to keep choosing, contributing, and seeking the blooms of beginnings.

I wonder where we will go.

Would you like to join me?

Chestnut-sided wood warbler / Audubon. Card from An Almanac of Birds: 100 Divinations for Uncertain Days by Maria Popova

Curious how these ideas might apply to a change you're leading or experiencing? Let’s connect! I’m always open to thoughtful conversations.

1. Cropper, M. (1935). The end of the road. Thomas Nelson & Sons, Ltd.

2. Wagamese, R. (2016). Embers: One Ojibway’s meditations. Douglas & McIntyre.

3. The Change Lab (2019). The change lab 2019 workplace survey. Retrieved from https://www.michellemcquaid.com/product/change-lab-2019-workplace-survey/

4. Cameron, K. S., Dutton, J. E., Quinn, R. E. (2003). Foundations of positive organizational scholarship. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, and R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 3-13). Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

5. Sirois, M. (2025). The generous exchange: How attention to beauty, goodness and excellence restores us and our world. Green Fire Press.

6. Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2024). Psychological capital and mental health: Twenty-five years of progress. Organizational Dynamics, 53(4), 101081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2024.101081

7. Luthans, F., Avolio, B. J., Avey, J. B., & Norman, S. M. (2007). Positive psychological capital: Measurement and relationship with performance and satisfaction. Personnel Psychology, 60(3), 541-572. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2007.00083.x

8. Luthans, F. (2002). Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths. Academy of Management Perspectives, 16(1), 57-72. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.2002.6640181

9. King, L. A. (2001). The health benefits of writing about life goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(7), 798-807. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201277003

10. Bratsis, M. E. (2025). How discomfort and mindfulness improve leadership development. Academy of Management Insights. https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amle.2023.0434.summary