Steps to Prepare Your Team for Change

Steps to Prepare Your Team for Change

Our world is in constant change. Right now, we are seeing change like never before. Whether that be layoffs, war, or earthquakes.

On episode 68 of the Embracing “Only” podcast, we revisited one of our favorite episodes with former fighter pilot turned keynote speaker and best-selling author, Kim "KC" Campbell, MBA, MA .

Kim shared some of the leadership lessons she learned from the 24 years she served in the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot and a senior military leader

During those years, she led hundreds of airmen both at home and abroad in deployed locations, enabling them to succeed in their missions. She takes this experience and inspires so many more in corporate spaces to lead with that passion of leadership. She feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their teams.

Listen to the episode or scroll down to read one of the highlights of our conversation ↓

As leaders who are constantly seeing change that they've never experienced, like their leaders never experienced, how can they build resiliency within their teams to deal with these changes?

“That trust, that resiliency, it doesn't happen overnight. We can't wait for a crisis to happen and then hope that we have trust and hope that we have resiliency on the team.” - Kim "KC" Campbell

There are so many uncertainties that we are facing right now, and that uncertainty and change can be stressful for your team. One thing that Kim has learned is that you have to start building trust within your team early.

Kim shared some techniques she learned during her time in the Air Force to help build resiliency and trust to prepare for change.

1) Connection

Firstly, don’t wait for a crisis to happen, start building connections in your team early on. 

“We do that by really just showing that human side of leadership. It is okay to be human. It is okay to let your team see who you are. That connection, that trust, is so critical.” - Kim "KC" Campbell

2) Preparation

You have to put in the work to prepare for the hard times.

“That's just built over time in terms of having a process and a way to handle tough situations. It can be as small as a really important briefing, presentation, or negotiation. It can be as big as crisis-centered leadership. The bottom line is you put in the work to prepare, you do your homework, you do your research, you look at what has or hasn't worked in the past and you talk about expectations and objectives.” - Kim "KC" Campbell 

3) Practice

After preparation, you have to take the time to practice.

“For me, in the flying community, we used to visualize. [...] We would visualize each step that we were taking, we would visualize and think about the radio calls that we would make, we would talk about each step along the way. And you could do this individually, or you could do it with the team to help you and talk you through it.” - Kim "KC" Campbell

Kim explains that the concept of visualizing, rehearsing, and practicing is a key step that is often missed. 

“It helps you deal with the stress in the moment. It also just primes you for action when something difficult happens. And ideally, it creates a positive outcome.” - Kim "KC" Campbell  

4) Plan for Contingencies

The final step is to plan for contingencies

“It is important to have a positive mindset and think about the positive outcome. But I also think it serves us well to think about what could go wrong, the potholes down the road.” - Kim "KC" Campbell

Kim gives the example of a presentation:

  • What's the worst-case scenario?
  • What are the tough questions we might get asked?

“You talk about them, you talk about how you will respond to them. And then you can let them go because you have a plan to deal with them.” - Kim "KC" Campbell

Kim explains that these steps have been really helpful throughout her flying life and her leadership life.

“To just put in the work to prepare to practice and then plan for those contingencies, I was better prepared to face stress and fear and worry. It just gave me confidence because I also felt more competent.” - Kim "KC" Campbell

To hear the full conversation with Kim "KC" Campbell on the Embracing “Only” Podcast, scroll up and hit play – or click here and tune into episode 68.

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Isabel Baez

Founder @Alavanz | Helping Mompreneurs Simplify, Connect, and Thrive | 20+ Years in Digital CX Leadership

7mo

What an inspiring episode! Kim KC" Campbell's journey from fighter pilot to keynote speaker is a testament to the power of adaptable leadership. Her insights on earning trust through courage and connection are so relevant, especially in these times of rapid change. Looking forward to tuning in and learning more about her leadership lessons! 🚀 #Leadership #ChangeManagement #EmbracingOnlyPodcast

Rajveer Prasad

The Pragmatic Agile Coach | I coach Individuals and Enterprises succeed in MM$ Programs & Projects | Transforming Practices & Behaviour | 1:1 Consults and Cohorts

7mo

The world needs more leaders like Kim, who prioritize trust, courage, and connection. Great share! Archita Fritz

Anna Chernyshova

Top 1% Job Seeker Expert | Ranked Top #1 HR LinkedIn Creator Worldwide | Follow for tips to land your dream job and live a happier and more productive life

7mo

It looks like a super interesting episode!

Kim "KC" Campbell, MBA, MA

Keynote Speaker | Bestselling Author | Fighter Pilot | Combat Veteran | Retired Senior Military Leader

7mo

I'm so glad to know that this conversation resonated with you and your guests! I enjoyed it too!

Alexandra Anda

Elevating social impact narratives. I drive organizations' visibility through content, relationships & events | 2021 WILD Conference Speaker | Comms Manager @ Humentum | Ex USAID, DoS, Devex 👉 Follow for sector insights

7mo

Such an exciting guest, Archita Fritz!

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