Why Do Some Teams Stay Calm in a Storm – and Others Don’t?

The Role of Change Capability in Volatile Environments
Part 1 of 4 in our VUCA Series: Volatility

In the change management space, we often hear the quote by Heraclitus: “Change is the only constant.”
But for many organisations today, it doesn’t feel like a steady stream of change. It feels more like waves, one after the other, with barely enough time to catch your breath.

From economic shifts to supply chain issues, new technologies, changing customer needs, and global crises, organisations are dealing with more change, happening faster, with less predictability than ever before.

That’s why the term VUCA has taken hold in business conversations. Originally coined by the U.S. Army War College, the term, which stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, now helps describe the kind of environment many teams are working in: fast-moving, unpredictable, and increasingly difficult to manage using traditional approaches.

Over the next four weeks, we will explore each part of VUCA. Today, we begin with Volatility, and how a structured change approach combined with strong change capability can help organisations stay grounded when things around them are moving quickly.

What Is Volatility and Why Is It So Hard on People?

Volatility is what happens when change hits fast and without warning—like a sudden leadership change, a sharp drop in sales, or a last-minute shift in customer demands. In these moments, plans unravel quickly, and teams are left scrambling to adapt.

When change comes this fast, people often don’t have time to process what’s happening. Leaders feel pressure to act without full information. Communication can’t keep up. The result is often more stress and confusion, less trust in leadership, and teams pulling in different directions.

Volatility creates a sense of instability. And when that instability lasts, resistance, burnout, and misalignment tend to follow.

So What Helps? A Change Methodology – Yes. But Also Change Capability.

When volatility hits, the instinct is to look for a framework or a plan. A strong change methodology, like LaMarsh’s Managed Change™ approach, can make a big difference. It brings clarity and structure to a messy situation. It gives leaders a step-by-step process to assess what is happening, understand who is affected, and communicate clearly.

But that is only part of the solution.

What really helps organisations stay steady is change capability. This is the ability of people, teams, and leaders to take in change, adapt quickly, and keep moving forward without losing focus or confidence.

When change capability is already part of how an organisation works:

• Leaders are more confident in guiding people through uncertain moments

• Employees expect change and feel more capable of handling it

• Communication and feedback flow more easily, helping teams stay aligned

In short, methodology helps create order during change, and capability helps people handle the pressure of change when it arrives.

What You Can Do Now

Here are five ways to help your organisation manage volatility more effectively:

1. Check in regularly on change readiness
   Find out where teams feel overwhelmed or unclear before change builds up.

2. Communicate clearly, even when things are uncertain
   A simple update is better than silence. Even small signs of direction help people feel grounded.

3. Listen often and adjust based on what you hear
   Your people often know where the pain points are. Make it easy for them to share.

4. Give managers extra support
   They are the link between strategy and daily experience. Equip them to lead well.

5. Talk about change even before it happens
   When change becomes part of everyday conversation, it stops feeling like a surprise.

Volatility Does Not Have to Break Your Momentum

You cannot always prevent fast-moving change. But you can reduce how much it throws your teams off course.

With the right systems in place, and a strong base of change capability, your people can stay focused, connected, and engaged even when everything around them is shifting.

Next week, we will explore the second part of VUCA: Uncertainty, and how to lead when the future feels unclear.

Is fast-moving change creating pressure in your organisation?

Let’s talk. We can show you how to build change capability that helps your people stay steady and confident, even when the ground keeps shifting.

Join our next Masters of Managed Change™ Program or connect with us for a personalised consultation.