Before You Act, Tune In: The Overlooked Skill in Change Leadership

You can have the strategy. The timeline. The communication plan. And still… feel something’s not quite landing.

The numbers say it should be working. But the people? They’re distant. Quiet. You sense the tension before it ever shows up in a team meeting.

That’s the moment where many leaders push forward. They stay focused on execution, checking boxes, and hitting milestones.

But here’s the truth most change efforts ignore: If you’re not noticing, you’re not leading.

Noticing is the pause that reveals what’s unspoken. It’s the read-the-room skill that transforms reactive plans into human-centered leadership.

I’ve seen this time and again — with clients, in executive teams, and in my own life. The leaders who move change forward aren’t always the loudest. They’re the ones who sense the shift before it becomes visible.

They notice:

• Whose voice has gone quiet

• Where energy is dropping

• Which team members are saying “yes” with their mouths but “no” with their behavior

• When resistance is actually grief, fear, or protection

They stop to ask, “What am I missing?” before deciding what to do.

And that one moment — that choice to notice — can change everything.

Because the cost of skipping this step is high: You lose trust. You miss early signals. You end up solving the wrong problem really efficiently.

Here’s what I’ve learned: The most effective change leaders don’t just act. They tune in first, then act from a place of clarity, empathy, and alignment.

If your change initiative feels stuck, maybe you don’t need more action. Maybe you need to listen for what’s underneath the silence.

Reflection for this week:

• What are you noticing — or ignoring — in your current change effort?

• What’s not being said… and why might that matter more than what is?