How To Stay Calm and Confident During Organizational Restructuring

Let’s be real, organizational restructuring  can feel like trying to hold it all together during a category 5 Hurricane! One minute the skies are clear and everything is business as usual. 

The next you're navigating restructuring, leadership changes, and priorities are shifting like quicksand under your feet, all while trying to keep your team's morale intact and not running for the door faster than Forrest Gump running for the Coast. 

  Sound familiar? 

 In this post I’m going to share a few tips on how you can manage your leadership anxiety, how to stay calm and confident even when it feels like the panic levels are already at a Def-Con 5! 

 You’ll also learn how to transform that hurricane of chaos into clarity, so you can step out of the whirlwind of “what ifs” and into a space where you’re the one running the show—not the storm.

Understanding the Impact of Organizational Restructuring

Whenever there’s an announcement of organizational restructuring , you can count on everyone tuning in to their favorite radio station: WIFM—What’s in it for me? 

When uncertainty looms, our brains love to fill in the blanks with worst-case scenarios. 

What does this mean for my job? Will my role change? Is my team about to get shaken up? Am I getting a new boss? What about my salary? 

It’s completely understandable that people would be worried about things that not only may have a direct impact on not only themselves, but potentially affect their co-workers and maybe even their own families. 

When people don’t have clear answers, it’s human nature to fill in the blanks by creating their own stories. 

Unfortunately, these new versions are usually driven by fear. 

When you combine fear with the overachiever mindset of always having a Plan A-Z and right now they aren’t even sure what Plan A is, you’ve got yourself a recipe for endless spirals of “what ifs” and sleepless nights.

And guess who your team will be looking to when these stories start to take shape? Yep, you guessed it, that’d be You my friend. 

Every move you make, every word you say, is being studied and analyzed as the “official guide” on how to react. 

By pulling yourself together and remaining calm and collected,(even if you secretly want to make a break for it and try to catch up with Forrest) your team will stay calm and collected too.  

If you’re frazzled and uncertain, trust me, they’ll pick up on that and before you know it the panic level will escalate to “Defcon 5 and you’ll have a full on-domino effect of stress spreading through the team.

A Personal Story: How Organizational Restructuring Impacted My Confidence

Back in 2001, I had just been promoted to District Manager at Bath & Body Works. I was on top of the world. 

I had my new Franklin Covey planner (don’t judge—it was high-tech back then!), a shiny company car, and I was armed with printed directions from MapQuest (the GPS of it’s time) to my new stores. 

I couldn’t wait to meet my new team and I was ready to take on the world with confidence! But, as life often does, it threw me a curveball.

The company made the decision to eliminate a significant number of leadership positions across the country effective immediately. 

Many of those positions included members of my new team. (I’m guessing you can probably predict how that was going to turn out.)

So on  day one of my new role instead of breaking the ice, I’d be breaking the news that is the hardest news a leader can give: “Hi, I’m Angela and I have some difficult news. Unfortunately, today will be your last day.”

It was one of the toughest moments of my career, but in the midst of that chaos, I learned a valuable lesson: Even when you don’t have control over the situation, you do have control over how you respond. 

Staying calm, clear, and compassionate helped me navigate that incredibly difficult transition with as much grace as possible and it’s a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since. 

How to Manage Yourself as a Leader During Organizational Change

So, how do you keep your confidence intact when everything around you feels like it’s falling apart? The key is to manage your own emotions first.

 You can’t lead others through a storm if you’re stuck in the turbulence yourself. Here’s how to steady the ship:

1. Take a Step Back and Acknowledge Your Feelings

Before you react, give yourself space to process how you’re really feeling. Are you anxious? Excited about the new opportunities? Nervous about what’s next? 

Whatever you’re feeling, take a moment to acknowledge it. Once you’ve identified what’s going on internally, you’ll be better able to manage it—and project the calm, confident leadership your team needs to see.

2. Lead with Transparency (But Stay Positive)

Here’s the deal—your team needs the truth, plain and simple. Sugarcoat it, and trust me, they’ll see right through you faster than you can say "quarterly reports." 

That doesn’t mean you have to dump all your stress onto their plates (they’ve got their own!), but being open about what you know—and what you don’t—builds trust. 

According to Forbes it’s important to use a shared language and talk about the stressors that both you and your team are feeling.  Don’t try to spin it into a motivational poster. Be honest, be clear, and yes, stay positive.

 You don’t need to have all the answers, but you do need to communicate with clarity and confidence. 

Your team doesn’t expect perfection, just someone who’s leading the way with honesty.

3. Anchor Yourself in the Bigger Picture

When everything’s feeling chaotic, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle. 

 But this is your cue to step back and zoom out. Ask yourself: How does this change fit into the bigger picture? Think long-term. How does it align with the company’s goals? 

 If you stay rooted in the why behind the shift, you’ll get the buy-in from the team a lot faster and seeing your confidence will be what your team needs to stay focused—even when the ground feels shaky.

4. Be Ready for Tough Questions

 Spoiler alert! Your team will have questions, and some of them will be tough. They’re looking to you for answers (and no, “I don’t know” doesn’t cut it—unless you add a follow-up).

 It’s completely okay to say, “I don’t have all the details right now, but I’m on it and will keep you posted by _____” Be sure to give them a date so you don’t leave them on a cliffhanger! 

 Your team doesn't expect you to be a walking encyclopedia, but they do need you to be the steady, confident leader who’s committed to figuring it out

 The key is consistency. Keep showing up, stay engaged, and be the problem-solver they need.

How to Stay Calm Amid the Chaos of Restructuring

 Let’s be honest—leading through change isn’t always easy. It’s also not about slapping on a smile and pretending it’s all rainbows and butterflies. 

It’s about managing your emotions, communicating with clarity, and showing up with confidence, even when everything feels a little bit scary and uncertain. 

Don’t forget! You’ve done hard things before, and trust me, this time won’t be any different. 

Stress management doesn’t mean pretending like the pressure doesn’t exist (we both know it’s there). It’s about facing it head-on, with grace, a little grit, and that resilience that’s been in you all along.

 Leading with Confidence Through Change

Look, organizational change is inevitable.
How you handle it is what sets you apart. 

You’ve got everything it takes to guide your team through the turbulence without letting the wheels fall off.

Because at the end of the day, resilience in leadership isn’t just about weathering the storm—it’s about knowing when to take a deep breath, trust yourself, and say, “I’ve got this.” 

And guess what? You don’t have to do it all on your own.

You can hire a coach to help you navigate this difficult period in your career.
Book a Free Discovery Call here to find out how I can support you.