Why You Should Question the Typical Advice on Leading Change

Hello Reader,
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​The Limits of Conventional Change Models

We’re constantly bombarded with advice on how to navigate change. Most of it centers around controlling outcomes, overcoming resistance, and minimizing risk. From behavioral frameworks to management strategies, the guidance is often the same: manage the resistance and keep people engaged.

While these models can be helpful and are well intentioned, they often work only at the surface level of change. But what if this conventional approach, as useful as it may seem, is missing a deeper truth?

What if, instead of managing reactions, we could transform how we experience change altogether?

This is where a deeper and more consciously aware approach comes in—one that asks us to move beyond models and techniques and into a state of presence and awareness.

From Reaction to Conscious Awareness in Leadership

A key lesson from my 15-year inner leader journey is this: Until we realize we are not our minds, our egos will govern us to one degree or another. There is a dimension beyond the mind.

Change itself is not the enemy. It’s the mind’s attachment to certainty, control, and the fear of the unknown that creates resistance. Models help leaders address these fears by meeting psychological needs, but they often miss the root cause: the ego’s need for control.

The typical advice on change treats the symptoms of resistance but rarely gets to the heart of what drives it.

When we rely too heavily on frameworks, we risk becoming trapped in a cycle of reaction, always trying to reduce discomfort and reassure our teams. This approach keeps us in the mind, where fear and anxiety about the future persist.

What’s missing is the awareness that comes from leading in the present moment, from a place of stillness that transcends the ego’s need for certainty.

What if, instead of managing fear, we focused on creating a space where conscious awareness becomes the guiding force?

When we learn to quiet our minds and become fully present, we stop resisting what is and embrace change as a natural part of life. From this state of awareness, we access a deeper intelligence that allows us to navigate the unknown with calm and clarity.

Leading Change Through Awareness, Not Control

The truth is, no model or strategy can eliminate uncertainty. Trying to control it only creates more stress and resistance. But when we shift our focus from managing reactions to being more present and aware, we open the door to a more conscious and effective way of leading change—one where we are no longer at the mercy of fear and resistance.

The next time you think of using frameworks to navigate change, ask yourself: Am I reacting from fear, or responding from the stillness of this moment?

The key to leading change may not be in controlling outcomes. It’s in fully embracing them. Trust that, when we are present, the right actions will arise.

Change doesn’t have to be something to manage. It can be something to embrace with openness and understanding. It can be a gateway to deeper connection and clarity.

True leadership in change is not about having all the answers. It’s about being present enough to allow the right answers to emerge naturally.

What might open up when you lead from the stillness of Being, beyond the noise of the thinking mind and ego?

— Bill

Bill Fox, Founder, LeaderONE​
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Pioneering Leadership from Within | Unlocking Human and Organizational Potential