I knew it wasn’t going to be simple, but I was completely surprised at what made it hard.
My husband and I were on a long-awaited trip to New Zealand, anticipating so much to see: Beautiful scenery! More beautiful scenery! Lord of the Rings filming sites! Renting a car seemed the obvious choice for these spread-out islands.
Intellectually, I knew we’d be driving on the left side of the road. I’d studied up a little and expected the left turns and clockwise roundabouts would take getting used to. But the problems started as soon as we pulled into traffic.
On a two-lane road with oncoming traffic, the tendency was to drift toward the side of the road. But having the steering wheel on the “wrong” side completely messed with our ability to stay centered in the lane. The passenger became the spotter for the driver, yelling “To the right!” whenever the car veered onto the shoulder.
What was automatic in the US—staying in the lane—became conscious and attention-requiring in the new setting.
The difficulty came to a head when we encountered the frequent one-lane bridges – narrow, with no room for wobbly error. There may have been scraping of the tires, I will not confirm or deny.
This experience made me think about the challenge and cost of new situations. Sure, driving in New Zealand was fun and voluntary, unlike many workplace changes like layoffs or new roles. But it still required different handling than the day-to-day.
Here’s what I learned about navigating change, both for ourself and for others:
1. The hard part may not be what you think. In leadership transitions or career changes, the obvious challenges often aren’t what trips you up. Instead, it’s the fundamental skills you thought were automatic that suddenly require conscious attention. Take time to notice what’s actually difficult rather than what you assumed would be hard.
2. Notice when your resistance increases. Getting frustrated with external factors you can’t control, or being angry with yourself for not meeting your usual standards, may be signals that you’re hitting the real challenge. Your identity as a competent professional may feel threatened when basic tasks become difficult (like driving!) Recognize this resistance as information, not failure, and adjust your expectations accordingly.
3. Build in more recovery time. New situations temporarily diminish your energy and mental capacity. Just as we agreed to stop every hour and switch drivers on the New Zealand roads, don’t pack your new-environment days as tightly as usual. This isn’t permanent—it’s strategic energy management during transition.
4. Communicate more explicitly than usual. In the car, my husband and I agreed on specific wording for driving feedback to avoid confusion. In leadership, this means being more direct about expectations, checking for understanding more frequently, and clarifying roles that might normally go unspoken. One of my favorite leader once said that during change, you need to give people information three times before they can absorb it.
5. Don’t assume others are adapting at your pace. If you’re feeling confident about a change, remember to check in with your team or colleagues. They may be experiencing the transition completely differently. Some people need more time, different support, or alternative approaches to reach the same destination.
What I really want you to know is that it’s not always possible to be your usual, effective, productive self during times of change. Transition time doesn’t last forever—we’re wired to adapt—but sometimes we need help finding our footing.
If you’re taking on a new role or expanded responsibilities, let’s talk about how coaching can help you find your feet and thrive in the change. If you’re between jobs, I’d also be happy to chat and offer direction.
My readers can always reach me by replying to this email or scheduling time to chat here.
P.S. We eventually adjusted to the left-side driving and had a wonderful time overall. Like many changes, the temporary discomfort was worth it.
