Meet Mike, the quintessential middle manager in an insurance company. As the winds of change sweep through his company, he finds himself right in the heart of the storm. The buzz around the office is about a new system - one that promises to revolutionize workflows and elevate the digital experience for customers. Mike's boss, with an air of urgency, has pinned the success of this transformation to Mike's leadership. The reward? A tantalizing promotion that dangles like a golden carrot.

But, there's a twist in this story. Mike has so far been a mere spectator in this grand transformation endeavor. He provided a brief overview of his department's current processes but has not been involved in any of the strategic planning. The result? A gap, a chasm even, between the strategic vision and the frontline reality. The very heart of the matter lies in the fact that Mike has little understanding of how this change will ripple through the routines, the relationships, and the workload of the people in his department.

As the countdown begins for the big launch of the digital transformation, Mike finds himself in a quandary. His boss expects him to take center stage during a critical video conference, to rally the troops with unwavering enthusiasm. Yet, Mike's heart races with a different beat – a rhythm of uncertainty. He knows the questions are coming, those inevitable inquiries from his team that he can't answer. He's haunted by the shadows of doubt – can he keep his team's trust intact? Can he navigate this monumental shift without derailing his career aspirations? Will his current workload become an insurmountable avalanche?

Caught in this whirlwind of expectations, responsibilities, and personal aspirations, Mike searches for a lifeline amidst the chaos. He yearns for a guiding light, a way to bridge the gap between the strategic vision and his department's reality. He's not alone – middle managers everywhere grapple with this paradox, the squeeze between the upper echelons' demands and the ground-level realities. In a world where change is constant, and the stakes are sky-high, Mike's journey to find his way is a story of resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of a better and easier way to navigate and lead change.

Are you anxious or exhausted or stymied, trying to navigate the turbulent winds of organizational change without capsizing your team? Squeezed between the demands of your superiors and the concerns of those you lead, it can feel like an impossible balancing act. Fear not, my friend, for this book is here to help you rewrite your story and emerge as a confident leader of change! In the words of Pierre Monice, president of MacNeal Hospital in Chicago, "I want you to fly" - be it on the breeze of a process improvement or in a gale of transformation. The view is so much better when you are flying, you can see so much further and there is so much more space to make better decisions.

But change can feel like an underwater maze inhabited by lurking sharks, and you can feel like a lowly sea bird chasing after fish in the murky waters. It's not clear where you are going and yet you are expected to lead your staff there and expected to do it in record time. It's no wonder that many leaders and managers feel overwhelmed and under-equipped to navigate the turbulent waters of organizational change. You can't even see the sky let alone soar on the updrafts. But take heart! In this book we'll explore the underlying challenges of leading change and equip you with the strategies and tools to take flight and lead through uncertainty with conviction and poise.

In the pages that follow we will dive into the essence of change and discover a deeper and more powerful perspective on change resistance and change readiness. You will learn how to get a grip on and communicate the opportunities, impact and risks of change in a way that is inspiring to staff and meaningful to executives. You will gain insight into how to build a change resilient culture that is respectful of individual differences and empowering for all. You will discover how to equip your team to navigate change and latch on to opportunities to thrive. Plus, you will learn the crucial role the right kind of empathy plays in effective change leadership and how to avoid burnout while leading your team to success.