Embarking on a new year is an opportunity that invites us to reflect on growth and set fresh personal and professional intentions to guide our year ahead. Whether we are looking to change our approach to exercise, implement new tools at work or enter into a new organizational structure, each requires us to embrace a new framework in order to change.

With every change, there also comes an inevitable sense of loss of how things used to be. Adaptive leadership theories remind us that while change is hard, it’s not the feelings of change that we so often resist — rather, it’s the feelings of loss that make change so difficult. For example, the introduction of new project management software streamlines workflows in the long run, but it also disrupts employees’ routines and requires time to learn. Similarly, leadership transitions might inspire a fresh direction while upending established practices. 

Acknowledging the existence of the loss

The first step in approaching any change process is acknowledging where there is change, there is loss. This sentiment is true whether your organization is undergoing an incremental change, like the implementation of a new performance review system, or a transformational one, such as shifting in-person to a hybrid working model. Recognizing loss is an essential component of any change process, and it is one that is often given very little time or space to explore.

Change and loss aren’t just present within our own organizational structures; they’re also found at the core of our Jewish stories and traditions. In the book of Exodus, Moses’ transforms from a shepherd in Midian to the leader of the Israelites. Moses initially resists this newfound leadership role, responding to God’s call to free the Israelites in Exodus 3:11 with the question, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites?” 

Rashi’s commentary on the phrase “Who am I?” articulates that this question is not just Moses doubting his own qualifications; it also reflects Moses’ deeper anxiety about the loss of his own individual identity. Imagine how Moses’ leadership journey might have been different if space had been held for him to process this loss before assuming his new role.

Now that we’ve acknowledged it, how should we approach it?

Groups and organizations are living systems made up of interconnected behaviors, mindsets and principles, all connected back to the people. In changing circumstances, it’s only natural to focus on what we’ve lost (provoking sadness and nostalgia) and what’s changed (provoking anxiety and uncertainty about the future).

We need to shift our mindset about how we acknowledge and work through these feelings. Here are some mindset shifts and rituals to get you started:

Live in “the now” of change

Don’t focus on a detailed, and likely unrealistic, picture of the future. Instead, focus on directional alignment — make sure you’re heading in the right general direction. Make sure your mindset and project plans have flexibility built in. Create space to reflect on what’s being left behind while guiding yourself and your colleagues toward a shared goal.

Recognize and reflect on patterns

Treat change as a participatory experiment by encouraging colleagues to notice the emerging patterns they’re seeing. How are people behaving, speaking or working together differently? Are they talking about how they’re feeling? What’s surprising to you?

Build in time to collectively reflect on what’s being observed amongst the team. Use structured moments like staff meetings or retreats to reflect on these observations in order to foster shared understanding, empathy and better-informed decisions.

Ritualize loss

A powerful approach to help others navigate loss is to invite them to ritualize it. In his book, The Power of Ritual, Casper Ter Kuile quotes Kathleen Mctigue, who says that a ritual contains three important qualities:

• Intention: Recognizing what I am inviting into this moment. 
• Attention: Being present in this moment.
• Repetition: Making space to come back to this practice. 

For example, a friend of mine recently traded in her beloved car after nearly a decade of memories. To process this transition, she created a daily ritual of revisiting places tied to meaningful moments with her car. This act of intentional reflection helped her say goodbye while also embracing the excitement of a new car.

Introduce a chapter framework

Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann’s “chapter framework” — an approach that looks at each company period and project like a chapter in a book — is helpful for the workplace. Each chapter has a clear beginning, a goal for that time period, built-in reflection periods for the team and reward for the effort. By breaking long timelines into manageable chapters, this method makes big shifts feel less overwhelming, while honoring the feelings of transition. A clear organizational mission connects the chapters together.

Moving forward 

In order to truly embrace change in the new year, we must find intentional ways to acknowledge the loss it brings, create space to process and ritualize it and strategically plan for its impact. This year, let’s approach change by honoring the past in order to create the kind of change we want to see in the world. 

Jodie Goldberg is the founder and principal of Fleurish Consulting Inc., a consulting practice that partners with individuals and organizations to design gatherings that deepen belonging within their teams and larger communities.

Dan Fast is the principal of Ives Consulting LLC, which helps organizations and leaders amplify their impact by strengthening their effectiveness in order to successfully navigate change.