The pace of change is not slowing down.
For many leaders, transformation has become less of a project and more of a permanent operating environment. Whether navigating AI adoption, organizational restructuring, evolving workforce expectations, or shifting business priorities, leaders are being asked to guide others through uncertainty while continuing to deliver results. The ability to lead through transformation is no longer an occasional challenge―it has become a core leadership capability.
And honestly, most leaders are feeling that weight every day.
To better understand what leaders are experiencing today, Signature Leaders surveyed 59 Signature Program alumni and senior leaders across a dozen industries. What we found was both encouraging and revealing. More than 88% of leaders surveyed said they feel moderately to highly confident in their ability to lead transformation, yet 82% also described leading change as moderately to very taxing, personally.
Most leaders understand why that is true on a very personal level. Leadership during transformation often requires creating confidence for others while navigating uncertainty yourself. Leaders are expected to steady teams, make decisions with incomplete information, and maintain momentum, even when the path ahead is still evolving. It is complex, deeply personal work.
The most common challenges leaders identified included:
- Maintaining momentum over time (58%);
- Addressing skepticism or disengagement from teams (49%); and
- Aligning priorities across teams (47%).
Perhaps the most important insight from these conversations is that leading transformation is not simply a strategic challenge, it is a personal one that tests patience, resilience, communication, and credibility. It challenges leaders to stay grounded in who they are and what matters most, while helping others navigate that same tension.
What I Learned from Conversations with Transformation Leaders
The most effective leaders create clarity without pretending to have all the answers.
That may sound simple, but it is surprisingly hard in practice, especially for high-performing leaders who are used to solving problems quickly and projecting confidence.
Becky Jenks, Vice President of Transformation at Johnson & Johnson, shared that experienced leaders help teams focus on what needs attention now rather than on what can wait. She recalled, “I had a great mentor who used to say to me, ‘That’s a ninth-inning problem, and we’re only in the second inning.’”
Similarly, credibility during transformation comes from honesty, humility, and helping teams feel that leaders understand the human impact of change.
Aimee Davis, Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Customer Operations at Alliant Energy, shared: “I’m much more humble and open to say that I may not have all the answers, but that’s why we have a team. I connect with them on an empathetic level because I know what it is to work the 12-hour day and still be on the media hotline at night.”
Both leaders highlight an important distinction: great transformation leaders do not eliminate uncertainty, they help people navigate it. Rather than allowing teams to become consumed by every future challenge, they create enough focus to help people to keep moving forward. Becky explained it this way: “What leaders have to do is find the right small set of decision-makers who can make enough decisions rapidly to take the ambiguity down into something concrete.”
Human-centered leaders prioritize empathy and trust during times of change. Aimee believes people need to feel seen and understood before they can fully embrace transformation. “Partnership and empathy―I think they really help people to be seen. At the end of the day, we’re humans―I think we need to spend more of our time connecting that way.”
That idea came through repeatedly in these conversations. People are far more willing to move through uncertainty when they trust the leaders guiding them through it. The most effective leaders balance optimism with honesty. They communicate consistently, acknowledge uncertainty, and create the trust that keeps teams engaged, even when answers are still emerging.
The strongest leaders also understand the power of storytelling. Facts and timelines matter, but people also need help understanding why the change matters and where they fit into the future being created. “You need to be an exceptionally good storyteller who taps into the hearts and minds of people so that what is ambiguous, unknown, and out of control can tie into something that they recognize,” Becky shared.
A Final Thought and Invitation
Today’s leaders are not simply managing projects or operational change, they are guiding people through uncertainty while trying to maintain trust, build resilience, and sustain momentum. Many are also carrying the personal weight of leading through that change themselves.
The leaders who create the greatest impacts during transformation help people move toward direction and understanding. They are human-centered, empathetic, and compelling storytellers. They do not eliminate ambiguity, but help others move through it with humanity and purpose.
And maybe that is the real shift happening in leadership right now. The leaders people trust most are not the ones pretending to have everything figured out, they are the ones willing to stay grounded, honest, and deeply human while helping others move forward.
That is a learned capability―and it is one worth investing in.
We invite you to join Signature Premier, our flagship executive leadership experience this November 10–12 in Atlanta, GA. Learn more and nominate your leaders at signatureleaders.com.
About the Author
Jennifer Krentel: Vice President, Business Development, Signature Leaders
Jennifer partners with CEOs, executive teams, and boards to create clarity around vision, strategy, and culture across global commercial, government, and nonprofit sectors. At Signature Leaders, she drives business development and cultivates long-term executive relationships, often supporting leaders as they step into new roles.
Jennifer began her career in organization development, focusing on culture transformation and strategic planning. She is a skilled facilitator in executive workshops on mission, vision, and values, and discovered a strength in building client partnerships and shaping consulting engagements. As a founding member of a Washington, D.C. based boutique firm, she helped scale the organization from start-up through growth to ultimately be acquired by TiER1 Performance. With Signature Leaders joining TiER1 in early 2026, she plays a central role in advancing integration, building strong cross-company relationships, and driving shared growth across the organizations.
She holds a master’s degree in Organization Development from American University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, along with certifications in culture transformation and change management.
Jennifer lives outside Los Angeles with her husband and two children. She enjoys gardening, homesteading, and is especially passionate about helping women leaders enter and thrive in the C-suite.
