How to Foster Resilient Teams in Times of Organisational Change

"Our team was thriving until the reorganisation announcement. Now productivity has plummeted, conflicts are emerging and our star performers are updating their LinkedIn profiles."

This lament from a frustrated manager encapsulates a universal challenge: organisational change, while necessary for adaptation and growth, often leaves destruction in its wake.

As someone who has both experienced and led teams through significant transitions—from my days navigating corporate changes in professional services to helping clients transform their organisations through Kinetic People Development—I've witnessed firsthand how some teams crumble while others thrive amid uncertainty.

Here's the reality most leaders miss: Your team's resilience during change isn't determined during the change itself—it's built (or neglected) in the periods of stability before disruption arrives.

Teams that thrive through transitions are not simply responding well to change; they've proactively developed the cultural muscles that make adaptation possible.

This insight transformed my approach to team development. Rather than treating change management as a reactive process, I now help leaders build what I call "change-resilient teams"—groups that possess the fundamental characteristics that enable adaptation.

The Foundations of Team Resilience

Through working with hundreds of teams across industries, I've identified five foundations that determine whether a team will flourish or flounder during periods of change:

1. Psychological Safety - The Courage to Be Vulnerable

During my football days in London, I played on two very different teams. On one, mistakes were met with criticism and blame. On the other, errors were treated as learning opportunities. Guess which team performed better under pressure?

Psychologically safe teams:

• Openly discuss concerns without fear of repercussion

• Admit mistakes and uncertainties

• Challenge prevailing ideas respectfully

• Share incomplete thinking to invite collaboration

Resilience indicator: Can team members express concerns about organisational changes without being labelled as "resistant" or "not a team player"?

2. Shared Purpose - The Power of Collective Meaning

At university in Brighton, I observed how student organisations responded to leadership transitions. Groups focused solely on activities faltered when leaders changed, while those united by a compelling purpose continued thriving regardless of who was in charge.

Purpose-driven teams:

• Connect daily work to meaningful outcomes

• Make decisions based on shared values

• Find motivation beyond immediate rewards

• Maintain direction even when tactics change

Resilience indicator: Can team members clearly articulate why their work matters beyond financial metrics or organisational mandates?

3. Role Adaptability - The Flexibility to Evolve

Through my karate training with my father, I learned that rigid stances break under pressure, while fluid movement adapts to changing circumstances. The same principle applies to team roles during organisational change.

Adaptable teams:

• Define roles by outcomes rather than activities

• Cross-train for critical functions

• Value skill development across domains

• Celebrate flexibility rather than territorial expertise

Resilience indicator: How comfortably can team members step into different roles when circumstances require it?

4. Constructive Conflict - The Ability to Disagree Productively

The strongest teams I've coached don't avoid disagreement—they harness it. They recognise that innovation and adaptation require healthy debate about ideas (while maintaining respect for people).

Teams skilled in constructive conflict:

• Separate ideas from identities during discussions

• Focus on interests rather than positions

• Embrace diverse thinking styles

• Seek synthesis rather than compromise

Resilience indicator: Do team disagreements lead to better solutions or entrenched divisions?

5. Continuous Learning - The Commitment to Growth

During my middle-distance running days, improvement came not from occasional intense training but from consistent, reflective practice. Teams that thrive through change apply the same principle to organisational learning.

Learning-oriented teams:

• Conduct regular retrospectives

• Experiment with new approaches

• Share knowledge systematically

• Measure both outcomes and processes

Resilience indicator: Does the team have established practices for reflecting on and improving its work?

Building the Resilience Muscle

While these foundations may seem intuitive, deliberately developing them requires intentional leadership. Here are practical approaches to strengthen each resilience factor:

Psychological Safety Exercises

The Learning Circle: Begin team meetings with each person sharing a recent mistake and what they learned. When leaders go first and show vulnerability, it transforms the team dynamic.

Anxiety Parties: Periodically create structured sessions where team members can express concerns about projects, changes or challenges without immediate problem-solving.

Purpose Reinforcement Practices

Impact Storytelling: Regularly share stories of how the team's work has positively affected clients, colleagues or communities.

Purpose Filtering: When evaluating new initiatives or changes, explicitly discuss how they align with the team's core purpose and values.

Leading Through the Change Curve

Even resilient teams experience productivity dips during major changes. The difference is in the depth and duration of the disruption. Leaders of resilient teams understand the emotional journey of change and adapt their approach accordingly:

During the Shock Phase:

• Increase communication frequency

• Focus on empathy before explanation

• Create space for emotional processing

• Connect current changes to organisational history

During the Resistance Phase:

• Validate legitimate concerns

• Distinguish between productive and unproductive resistance

• Involve team members in implementation planning

• Celebrate small wins that demonstrate progress

During the Exploration Phase:

• Encourage experimentation

• Provide additional learning resources

• Connect team members with early adopters

• Highlight emerging opportunities

During the Commitment Phase:

• Recognise individual and team adaptation

• Codify new practices into team norms

• Reflect on the growth that occurred through change

• Begin strengthening resilience for future transitions

Today, organisational change isn't occasional—it's constant. Restructurings, new technologies, shifting markets and evolving client expectations create a continuous stream of disruption.

Teams that must pause and recover after each change find themselves perpetually behind.

Teams that can adapt while maintaining performance gain significant competitive advantage.

Building change-resilient teams isn't just about surviving the next reorganisation—it's about creating the adaptive capacity that enables continuous evolution. It's about transforming change from a threat to an opportunity.

Remember: The best time to build team resilience is before you need it. Start today.

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Kingsley Johnson is the founder of Kinetic People Development, helping professionals achieve their highest potential while occasionally reminding them it's okay to not have all the answers!