Bright Ideas by ColorVizion Lab is the go-to newsletter for people leaders transforming the talent experience. We answer the tough questions people leaders face daily—with straight talk and real solutions. Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab, answers this week’s question.
❔Question of the week: “How do I lead my team through unpredictable change?”
A growing number of leaders foresee a challenging road ahead. In fact, 63 percent of executives expect a “stormy or turbulent outlook” on the world over the next ten years, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report.
People leaders are the ones standing in the eye of the storm.
With economic shifts, political tension, and the extremely high cost of living, employees have increased demands. Employers are trying to adapt to changes while keeping their businesses afloat without having to let go of top talent.
The pressure is personal. And if you’re a people leader, you know that leading through change isn’t part of the job; it is the job.
Every day, you’re tasked with making tough decisions, resolving interpersonal conflicts, and navigating high-stress situations – all while trying to keep your team motivated and productive.
Change, as necessary as it is, carries its own emotional toll: anxiety, fear of job stability, and resistance to new processes. On top of this, over 80% of employees are at risk of burnout, stemming from excessive workloads, exhaustion, and financial strains, according to Mercer’s Global Talent Trends Report.
What’s the solution?
We believe one of people leaders’ top priorities in 2025 should be self-regulation.
Self-regulated leaders remain emotionally stable, even in the thick of uncertainty. They’re able to build trust with employees and executive teams through consistent actions and thoughtful responses, creating a ripple effect that fosters a psychologically safe and adaptive work environment.
But here’s the catch: staying calm and composed under pressure isn’t a skill you stumble upon. It’s a skill you build intentionally. That’s why our team at ColorVizion Lab is creating a four-part newsletter series designed to help people leaders navigate and grow in an evolving workforce.
In this third issue, we’re sharing strategies on how to:
- Conquer self-regulation to build trust and influence
- Promote psychological safety to improve employee performance
- Remain adaptable when making tough decisions
Let’s unpack this. And be sure to subscribe to the Bright Ideas newsletter so you know when our final issue drops.
🧘Conquer self-regulation to build trust and influence
Before you can help your team stay calm throughout the chaos, the first step is to build strategies to remain grounded no matter what’s happening around you. Here’s how, according to Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab.
- Pause and reflect: When emotions run high, take a moment to step back and breathe. Give yourself permission to process your feelings, assess the situation, and then decide how you want to respond. This pause helps you regain clarity and prevents quick judgments that could escalate later on.
- Incorporate mindfulness into your day: A day full of meetings, requests, and distractions can leave you overstimulated. To stay centered, you need moments of stillness. Whether it’s meditation, deep breathing, or a 10-minute quiet break, take time to recalibrate and re-ground yourself so you can think clearly and respond thoughtfully.
- Set boundaries to protect your energy: Burnout is real, and it strikes when you fail to protect your time and energy. Setting clear boundaries, like pushing back on additional tasks or carving out personal time throughout your day, helps maintain focus.
- Get feedback from trusted allies: Having a sounding board, like a mentor, manager, or trusted colleague, gives you new perspectives. They can tell you if your reaction is valid or if you’re over- or under-reacting. They can also help you understand how others might perceive your actions and give feedback to refine your approach.
Based on personal experiences, Desiree says reaching out to others helped uncover her strengths and opportunities for improvement when self-regulating. Although she does this quite naturally, there are times when her team and colleagues are on the receiving end of high-stress situations.
“I don’t think people leaders take the opportunity to seek feedback often enough,” Desiree says. “Maybe it’s a pride thing, maybe you’re afraid of what people might say about you. But to have someone who’s a trusted advisor or a sounding board to bounce ideas off of is extremely valuable.”
❤️🩹Promote psychological safety to improve employee performance
Self-regulation is the cornerstone of effective leadership and it plays a crucial role in promoting psychological safety within your team. Psychological safety is proven to improve employee performance, job satisfaction, energy, and risk-taking, according to an American Psychological Association Report.
Here’s how you can model the kind of behaviors that foster trust and openness:
Demonstrate vulnerability and authenticity: Leaders who openly acknowledge their mistakes and show vulnerability create a culture where imperfection is accepted as part of growth. Share your lessons learned and be transparent about your missteps. When employees see you as human, they’re more likely to embrace a growth mindset and feel empowered to take risks without the fear of failure.
Actively seek input from your team: Stop being the only one with ideas. Acknowledge employees’ expertise by asking for their opinions and ideas regularly. Make it clear that you’re not just looking for a “yes” response, and create a space where authentic feedback is welcomed and appreciated.
Encourage healthy disagreements: Psychological safety has room to grow when team members feel comfortable disagreeing respectfully. Let your team know that differing opinions are not only tolerated but encouraged. A healthy exchange of ideas leads to better problem-solving and prevents groupthink, so employees aren’t afraid to speak up if their viewpoint contrasts with yours.
Hold yourself accountable: If you’re wrong or make a poor decision, own it. Apologize when necessary, and demonstrate accountability. Avoid the temptation to pass the blame onto your team to show them that accountability is part of the job, not something to fear.
Encourage risk-taking and innovation: Stifling creativity is a sure way to kill morale. Encourage your team to take risks and experiment with new ideas, even if they don’t get the desired outcome. Let them know that every setback comes with valuable lessons that make the next attempt even stronger.
Build personal connections: Get to know your team’s goals, communication styles, and unique needs. When you invest in building personal relationships, people feel more comfortable opening up and sharing their thoughts and creative ideas.
Desiree shares how she’s been able to attract and retain loyal and highly skilled talent – both full-time and contract – from leading corporations across industries. The key here is having productive performance evaluations that allow team members to express concerns.
“I make it a point to really understand why they like working for me and try creating a space where they feel like they can innovate, have autonomy over their work, and talk to me when they feel I’ve done something wrong,” Desiree says.
⚖️Remain adaptable when making tough decisions
When organizational changes seem unpredictable, decision-making can feel like balancing on quicksand. It’s tempting to wait for all the information or perfect clarity, but this rarely happens in a fast-paced setting. Instead, you’ll need to embrace adaptability, harness the resources you have, and lean into your expertise.
Here’s what Desiree suggests people leaders do moving forward.
🔄Stay informed on industry trends
The future of work and the economy are always evolving, which means leaders who fail to anticipate change risk falling behind. Stay informed about your industry’s trends, your company’s strategy, and your team dynamics to identify potential disruptions early.
📊Analyze the data you have
Focus on the metrics that matter most to your organization’s goals and values, even if they are incomplete. Use them as a compass to guide your choices and carefully evaluate potential risks and trade-offs. Imagine best-case, worst-case, and most likely scenarios to help clarify your options.
🧪Adapt your plans and experiment
What works today may not work in six months, especially with the rapid pace of new technology and AI. Leaders must stay agile and be willing to adjust their strategies – or scrap them entirely – to experiment with new approaches. Set clear performance metrics to assess whether an initiative is working. If the data isn’t pointing to success after three to six months, it’s time to pivot. Staying stuck too long can limit growth.
💡Trust your expertise
Advisors like mentors, colleagues, and stakeholders can give you the confidence to move forward or highlight considerations you might have missed. At the same time, you need to trust yourself. Your past experiences have prepared you for these moments, even when ambiguity makes you doubt your abilities. Reflect on previous challenges and the decisions that helped you navigate them. Those moments are proof you can handle complexity and uncertainty.
🗣️Communicate transparently
Transparency is another cornerstone of decision-making during turbulent times. Keep your team informed as company updates emerge. Even if you don’t have all the answers, sharing what you do know reduces anxiety and builds trust.
🌟Embrace imperfections
Not every decision will be flawless, but each one is an opportunity to learn and grow. Commit to adjusting as new information arises while remaining resilient and adaptable.
As we look to the year ahead, people leaders will have to approach upcoming changes in their industry and company with intention and skill. By focusing on self-regulation, psychological safety, and adaptability, you can stay composed while leading through the storm.
📞 Ask us anything! Submit your anonymous questions
People leaders, do you have questions about culture building, leadership development, or employee engagement that no one’s talking about?
Our team wants to hear! Submit your question here and we may dive into it in an upcoming newsletter.
📰 Story of the week: The cost of child care is more than rent in some counties. What does this mean for parents?
A lack of affordable childcare benefits in the U.S. is hurting employee performance, yet companies are rewarded with a 425% return on their investment when they provide childcare benefits for their employees.
What does this mean for the future of working parents in a country where the cost of living continues to rise? Read the full story here.
Prepare your talent strategy for the future of work
Change is inevitable, which means your talent strategies need to be adaptable.
At ColorVizion Lab, we help people leaders create change management plans, engage stakeholders, and build a long-term vision for an innovative culture.
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