Part 2: Making Sense of Change: Practical Ways to Help Your Team Through Uncertainty
In Part 1 of this two-part blog series, we explored the science behind how humans make sense of change. We discovered why some people adapt quickly while others struggle, examined the psychology of uncertainty, and learned how neurodiversity affects the way different brains process information during times of transition.
We also looked at the sobering statistics: 70% of change programmes fail, largely due to "people issues" such as misunderstanding, fear, and lack of engagement. The data shows us that when leaders neglect the human element of change, the invisible process of meaning-making, even the best-planned initiatives can fall apart.
Now comes the practical application. Having understood why meaning-making matters so much during change, Part 2 focuses on what we can do about it. We'll explore six concrete strategies that leaders and coaches can use to help their teams make genuine sense of change, paying particular attention to approaches that work for neurodiverse thinkers.
We'll also examine how coaches can support their ‘thinkers’ through periods of uncertainty, share a real-world example of effective sensemaking in action, and provide practical questions that can unlock new possibilities during times of transition.
Because understanding the problem is only half the battle, the real work begins when we start helping people find meaning in the uncertainty.
Practical tips for leaders and coaches
So, how can you help your team or coaching 'thinkers' make sense, real sense, of change, especially with neurodiversity in mind? Here are some practical approaches.
1. Don't assume, ask
Remember Shaw's warning about the illusion of communication? Just because you've said it, doesn't mean it's been heard, or understood. Leaders often overestimate how clear they've been; employees, meanwhile, are left squinting at the memo, wondering what it means for them.
Practical steps:
After sharing big news, ask: "What are you taking away from this?"
Invite questions anonymously if needed. People are more honest when the power dynamic is balanced.
Use "teach-back": ask team members to explain the change in their own words. You'll quickly spot where the message has landed, and where it's still circling overhead.
For neurodiverse colleagues, check if written follow-ups or visual aids would help clarify key points.
2. Make space for storytelling
Meaning is made in stories, not data or spreadsheets. People process change by narrating it, sometimes aloud, sometimes just to themselves. According to Denning (2011), storytelling is a leader's secret weapon: it helps people see themselves in the change, rather than just seeing change as something done to them.
How to use this:
Share your own story of change, warts and all. Vulnerability breeds connection.
Encourage team members to share their hopes, concerns, and even their resistance.
Use metaphors and analogies; they stick in the mind far longer than charts and be mindful that not everyone interprets a metaphor the same way. For neurodiverse individuals, supplement stories with clarifying details and examples.
3. Keep the conversation going
Sensemaking isn't a one-off event, but an ongoing process. Change is rarely a single announcement; it's a series of updates, setbacks, pivots, and small wins. Regular check-ins give people a chance to raise concerns, ask questions, and flag what's working (or not).
Practical tips:
Set up "change clinics" or open-door sessions for informal Q&A.
Schedule follow-up meetings specifically to discuss progress and feelings, not just KPIs.
Use pulse surveys to spot mood shifts and confusion early.
Offer multiple formats for feedback, verbal, written, and visual, so everyone can participate comfortably.
4. Link the big picture to the personal
"We're restructuring to drive efficiency" might make sense to the board, but it's meaningless to 'Heidi' in Accounts, who worries about her job. People make sense of change by answering one question: "What does this mean for me?" If we don't connect the dots, they'll connect them for us, and not always in ways we would like.
How to bridge the gap:
Translate strategy into individual impact. "This means your team will be working more closely with marketing. Here's how that could help your development."
Share examples of how the change could create opportunities for growth or learning.
Be honest about downsides, too; people can handle bad news better than uncertainty.
For neurodiverse team members, outline clearly how roles, routines, and expectations may shift, and invite questions.
5. Be honest about uncertainty
Nothing kills trust faster than false certainty. If you don't have all the answers, say so. It's okay to say, "I don't know, yet."
Practical approach:
Use phrases like, "Here's what we know, here's what we're still figuring out."
Commit to sharing updates as soon as you have them, even if the news isn't perfect.
Model comfort with ambiguity, and your team will follow your lead.
6. Involve people in the process
Sensemaking isn't a spectator sport. The more people are involved in shaping the change, the more meaning they'll find in it. Research by Sonenshein & Dholakia (2012) shows that employees who participate in decision-making are more engaged and resilient.
Ways to involve others:
Form focus groups or steering teams from different levels of the organisation, ensuring neurodiverse voices are included and genuinely heard.
Crowdsource solutions to anticipated challenges, let people own the fixes.
Celebrate "quick wins" publicly, giving credit to those who contribute.
Coaching during change
For coaches, meaning-making is the oxygen of our work. Our 'thinkers' come to us for new ways to interpret what's happening around (and inside) them. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) calls this "evoking awareness", helping clients join the dots in ways that unlock new possibilities (ICF, 2023).
And for neurodiverse 'thinkers'?
Avoid assumptions about how they process information or emotions.
Use direct, concrete questions: "What does this change mean to you?" "What would help you make sense of this?"
Offer written summaries of sessions, or visual aids, if that supports their thinking.
Practical coaching questions:
"What story are you telling yourself about this change?"
"What else might be true?"
"Where can you find agency, even if you can't control the outcome?"
Coaching isn't about providing meaning; it is about creating the space for our 'thinkers' to find it for themselves. Sometimes, the most useful intervention is simply to be present.
Real-world example: sensemaking in action
A financial services firm facing a major digital shift knew it couldn't just send out an all-staff email and hope for the best. Leaders hosted a series of ‘town halls’ where employees could ask anything, anonymously if needed. They shared stories of small teams already experimenting with new tech, invited feedback in multiple formats, and even ran "myth-busting" sessions to tackle rumours head-on. They also set up written Q&A boards and offered follow-up summaries for those who processed information differently. Engagement scores rose, turnover dropped, and, crucially, people started to see themselves as part of the change, rather than victims of it.
Final thoughts: meaning is the message
At its heart, leading through change isn't just about moving boxes on an org chart. It's about helping people find meaning in what can often feel like chaos and doing so in a way that recognises everyone's different wiring.
So, the next time you're knee-deep in a shift (or just another "strategic pivot"), remember: It's not what you say that matters. It's what they make of it.
Or, as Viktor Frankl wrote:
"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."
Make sense? Good. Now go make meaning.
About Amanda
Amanda Livermore is the founder of LORE Consultancy Ltd and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). With over 20 years of experience in coaching, training design and facilitation, Amanda specialises in helping individuals and teams develop the skills to work more effectively together. As both a trained mentor coach and coach supervisor, she supports coaches in their own professional development whilst helping organisations create more inclusive, psychologically safe environments where different perspectives are valued and heard.
References for Part 2
Aiken, C. & Keller, S. (2009) 'The Irrational Side of Change Management', McKinsey Quarterly, 2, pp. 100-109.
Austin, R. D. & Pisano, G. P. (2017) 'Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage', Harvard Business Review, May–June, pp. 96–103.
Brashers, D. E. (2001) 'Communication and Uncertainty Management', Journal of Communication, 51(3), pp. 477-497.
Denning, S. (2011) The Leader's Guide to Storytelling. 2nd edn. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Gallup (2022) 'State of the Global Workplace'. Available at: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace-2022-report.aspx
Harvard Business Review (2021) 'The Science of Organizational Change'. Available at: https://hbr.org/2021/09/the-science-of-organizational-change
ICF (2023) 'Core Competencies'. International Coaching Federation. Available at: https://coachingfederation.org/core-competencies
Kotter, J. (2012) Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
McKinsey & Company (2023) 'The State of Change Management', McKinsey.com.
Rock, D. (2009) 'Managing with the Brain in Mind', Strategy+Business, 56, pp. 1-7.
Russell, G., et al. (2019) 'The impact of diagnostic disclosure on mental health and wellbeing in autistic adults', Autism, 23(7), pp. 1783-1796.
Sonenshein, S., & Dholakia, U. (2012) 'Explaining Employee Engagement with Strategic Change Implementation: A Meaning-Making Approach', Organization Science, 23(1), pp. 1-23.
Weick, K. E. (1995) Sensemaking in Organizations. Thousand Oaks: Sage.