Featured April 16, 2025 How federal leaders can rebuild their team culture in times of change Back to Blog New eLearning program explores how government leaders can support their teams through change Date July 8, 2025 Authors Asher Shaw-Smith Gendelman Tags Leadership and Collaboration Whether adjusting to return-to-office mandates or meeting agency requirements that fundamentally change the way people work, navigating change is an ever-present challenge for government leaders. The Partnership for Public Service’s new eLearning platform equips leaders at all levels of government with knowledge and strategies to help them meet this challenge. One of our first eLearning courses, “Managing Change in the Moment” examines how people experience transitions and what leaders can do to help their employees manage them. Below is a sneak peek of the course’s first lesson on the Bridges Transition Model, which outlines three distinct phases of transition in the workplace. Phase 1: Endings When faced with a change, it’s important to recognize that launching a new initiative or process will mean sunsetting an old one. As you say goodbye to the way things were, you may feel shocked, anxious, fearful or even angry. These natural reactions are your brain’s way of maintaining the comfort and balance that comes with stability. So, how can you adapt? There is no better time to show empathy. The endings phase is your time to listen, to hear what your colleagues are saying and feeling, to listen to your own emotions, and to show that you care. As your team navigates change, it is important to share your concerns and ask others for theirs. Listen to what folks say and before responding, consider whether they are sharing to vent, to inspire action, or to solicit emotional, logistical or vocal support? Endings are the time to mourn how things were and to be patient with yourself and others as you confront change. Phase 2: Neutral zone As change continues, and as you wrap your head around the new reality, you may get frustrated. Why do I have to learn a new process? How much time am I going to lose retraining my team? Don’t let this frustration stop you from leading effectively. While much remains outside of your control during this phase, you can control your mindset. Your brain, still seeking comfort and balance, focuses on what you risk losing—resources, knowledge and time. During the neutral zone, by intentionally focusing on the resources you have, you can take control over your team’s direction in the future. Consider: What are your team’s strengths? What opportunities does the change present? What resources are newly available to your team? How might you use new opportunities to face the challenges ahead? This phase is the time to be collaborative, to encourage your colleagues to share their ideas and to build a sense of shared ownership of the transition. Through simple mindset shifts, you can move from frustration to curiosity to eventual acceptance. Phase 3: New beginnings You’ve made it through the neutral phase! You and your team are embracing new opportunities and came up with some ideas to make things even better. You may feel a sense of hope as you glimpse the upside of change. Your work, though, is not done. As your work environment begins to feel more stable, sharing your successes with the rest of the organization is crucial. Everyone experiences transitions differently. If you reach Phase 3 before other teams, how can you encourage and help them reach the new beginning? Communicating your new normal with those inside and outside your team is crucial to spreading the methods you used to manage change successfully. Consider: What is your team doing well now? What pitfalls do you wish your team avoided? What resources were you able to leverage? You and your team will face adversity during each of these phases. But by facing change head on and acknowledging the realities of transition, you can find a way instead of running away. For more information on navigating change explore our Public Service Leadership Model and check out our Public Service Leadership Institute’s® training opportunities. Asher Shaw-Smith Gendelman works on leadership development at the Partnership for Public Service.