Change is constant, yet it still often manages to catch us off guard. Whether it’s a new system, a leadership shift, or a change in strategy, one thing I know for sure is that people react to change in very human ways. And most of us, myself included, aren’t naturally wired to welcome disruption.
That’s why, in my work with clients and during OMNI’s virtual workshops, I talk a lot about how people experience change—and what we can do to move through it more successfully.
In our recent session, The Art of Change Management, we explored some simple but powerful habits that help teams build change agility. These aren’t complicated frameworks or long checklists. They’re real, practical strategies that anyone can use to shift from resistance to forward momentum.
Here are the three habits I recommend to anyone faced with change—whether you’re heading up a big transition or an individual who is dealing with changes to your role or work environment.
1. Lead with Curiosity: Ask Before You React
When something new shows up—a system, a structure, or even a new colleague—our brains immediately go to work trying to figure out, “Is this safe? Do I know how to deal with this?” That’s normal. We’re wired to avoid uncertainty.
But here’s the thing: curiosity helps us override that instinct.
When we pause to ask questions like:
- “How does this work?”
- “What impact will this have?”
- “What’s another way to look at this?”
…we begin to move from resistance into exploration. That’s the turning point. I’ve seen tension in a meeting lowered by this simple request: “Tell me more.”
Personally, one of my go-to mindset resets is this simple phrase: That’s interesting. It helps me pause and approach a situation with a little more openness—and a little less judgment. Try it. It works.
2. Build a Learning Mindset: The More You Practice, the More Adaptable You Become
You don’t need a large training budget to build a learning culture. In fact, some of the most impactful learning happens in the everyday moments—sharing knowledge with a peer, watching a short video, subscribing to a daily leadership tip, or just saying “I want to understand this better.”
The more often you and your team practice learning in small ways, the easier it becomes to adapt when something bigger changes.
Here are a few things I recommend:
- Encourage knowledge-sharing during team meetings.
- Identify “go-to” learning resources (I love Harvard Business Review’s Management Tip of the Day email—45 seconds, done!).
- Listen to a podcast during your commute or morning coffee.
- Ask a colleague to walk you through something they do well.
And don’t forget—sometimes, learning means unlearning. Letting go of an outdated process or mindset is just as important as picking up a new skill.
3. Redefine Failure: Mistakes Are How We Get Better
Let’s be honest: change is rarely a straight line. If you’ve ever been part of a product rollout, a program implementation, or a plan that didn’t go quite right, you know exactly what I mean. But here’s what I remind myself and others: those “messy middle” moments are usually where the real learning happens.
In one of my past roles, I worked on a team that had to implement a massive HR system. None of us had used it before. We were doing our day jobs and trying to figure out the new system at the same time. It would’ve been easy to panic or point fingers—but instead, we started each day by saying, “We’re going to learn something new today.” That mindset took the pressure off the moments that didn’t go as planned and created a more collaborative team environment.
When failure is reframed as progress in motion, people stay more engaged and willing to keep going—even when it gets tough.
You can reinforce that mindset by:
- Avoiding blame and encouraging curiosity (“What can we learn from this?”)
- Celebrating small wins and “aha” moments along the way
- Encouraging process improvement, not perfection
That messy squiggly line from idea to outcome? That’s the real path to learning and success. Let’s stop pretending otherwise.
Change Happens. Let’s Get Better at Navigating It.
If there’s one thing I hope leaders and teams take away from our conversation about change, it’s this: you can’t control every shift that comes your way—but you can build the habits that help you and your team respond with more clarity and confidence.
These three practices—curiosity, continuous learning, and a growth-minded approach to failure—aren’t just helpful during a big transition. They’re useful every day. And the more you build them into your daily habits and culture, the more change-ready everyone becomes.
At OMNI, we help organizations develop change strategies that actually stick. We know that successful change starts with people—not just processes—and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Interested in bringing these tools to your team?
Contact OMNI Human Resource Solutions today to explore customized support, from team workshops to one-on-one consulting. Let’s work together to build change-ready cultures—one step, one conversation, and one breakthrough at a time.
Authored by: Carolyn Walters, Senior Consultant, OMNI Human Resource Solutions
