11 Jul Why Change Still Unsettles Us
You’d think we’d be used to it by now. Change, that is. It shows up in our personal lives, in our careers, in our relationships, even in our general routines. Sometimes it’s big and dramatic, like a sudden job loss or a restructure at work. Other times, it sneaks in quietly, like a colleague resigning, or moving to a new town. Yet, despite how familiar change is, many of us still find ourselves bracing every time it knocks.
We know change is necessary, but it often feels like a rug being pulled out from underneath us, no matter what the change is about. Which makes me think it’s not just the change itself, it’s the uncertainty that comes with it. The fear that comes with uncertainty isn’t irrational, it’s deeply human. From a psychological standpoint, our discomfort with change is rooted in our brain’s wiring. The human brain craves predictability and certainty. When faced with ambiguity, it interprets it as a threat, the crippling fear of the unknown.
Psychologists call this “uncertainty intolerance”, the tendency to perceive uncertain situations as stressful and upsetting. This concept is closely related to cognitive behavioural theories, particularly Beck’s Cognitive Theory of Anxiety, which suggests that anxiety stems from biased interpretations of future events, especially when those events are unknown or unpredictable.
To understand this better I had a look at another explanation from the Predictive Processing Theory, which argues that our brains are essentially prediction machines. We’re constantly trying to match what we expect to happen with what actually happens. When something new or unexpected occurs, like a shift in reporting lines or a new organisational strategy, we experience cognitive dissonance, and our systems go into overdrive trying to make sense of it (Friston, 2010).
This explains why even seemingly positive changes, like a promotion or moving to a new home, or implementing a new automated system can still evoke stress. We’re not just reacting to the event; we’re reacting to the uncertainty about what it means for us. Now here’s the thing, sometimes, there are no answers to help curb the fear, not immediately anyway.
In our personal lives, change often happens whether we’re ready or not. A loved one falls ill, a partner decides to leave, a child grows up and moves out. These aren’t always changes we choose. There’s no neat project plan, no step-by-step guide. Just us, moving forward with fear in one hand and courage in the other.
The same thing happens in organisations. As much as we encourage leaders to involve people, to keep them in the loop, and to reduce uncertainty where they can, sometimes they themselves don’t have the answers. A merger is underway, and no one knows how roles will shift. A new tech system is coming, but the full impact on teams is still unclear. In those moments, the best leaders can do is to be honest, present, and human.
It’s tempting to delay communication until things are “clearer.” But silence only breeds more anxiety. Even admitting “we don’t yet know” can be powerful, if it’s paired with transparency and empathy. People can handle uncertainty better when they know they’re not being kept in the dark.
In the context of organisational change, fear of the unknown often shows up as resistance. However, we need to acknowledge that it’s usually not defiance, it’s a defence mechanism. People may ask, “Will I still be needed?” “What does this mean for my growth path?” or “How do I know I’ll still belong here?”
If no one is holding space for these fears, or worse, if people sense that leaders are pretending to have it all figured out, trust begins to erode. On the other hand, when change is acknowledged with honesty, when uncertainty is not hidden but shared, something powerful happens. People start walking together, rather than feeling pushed. So, maybe the goal isn’t to make change comfortable but make it more companionable, to offer people presence, even when certainty isn’t possible.
This reflection comes at a perfect time as we’re about to start a change management capability program with one of South Africa’s leading banks. We introduce valuable tools and frameworks that help to make sense of organisational change – and also help the “guides” tasked with helping others through change.
No matter how well these are applied, what I’ve observed is that lasting change happens through genuine human connection, unflinching honesty about the challenges ahead, and giving people permission to sit with discomfort as they navigate new territory.
If your organisation is in the midst of change and seeking partnership in organisational strategy and change capability building, and leadership or team development, get in touch with us to explore how we can best support your transformation journey.
Written by: Mbali Masinga