Leading large-scale change can feel like walking a tightrope without a safety net. Just one little wobble, and suddenly even the best-laid plans start to shake. Change leaders can have all the right strategies, constant communication, and solid leadership—yet still progress stalls.

The truth is it may not be your process that’s off track. It’s often your behaviors.

When pressure hits, leaders tend to lean on habits that may feel productive but secretly slow down transformation efforts. These behaviors are rarely intentional and not strictly speaking bad habits; they’re human ones. But they quietly ripple across teams, draining energy and momentum.  

The good news is that once you spot these habits, you can stop them. That’s where awareness can bridge the gap between good intentions and leadership impact.

The Three Change Traps

According to the Center for Creative Leadership’s Change-Capable Leadership Study, even skilled leaders repeatedly fall into three common “change traps” when guiding major change efforts. If these feel familiar, remember they aren’t signs of poor leadership, they’re signs of human behavior under stress. Recognizing and mitigating these actions early can make all the difference:

1) Passive Leading: As leaders, finding the right balance between control and empowerment is tricky. Too much delegation or indecision can leave your team confused or feeling adrift. Change efforts thrive when leaders stay visible and accessible. It’s key to reinforce the change-vision continuously, engage openly with impacted employees, and inspire confidence and composure during times of uncertainty.

This habit looks like:

• Delegating too much  
• Being indecisive or ambiguous

2) Leading in Isolation: Regardless of your level of authority, change is a team sport. Yet under pressure, many leaders try to shoulder the burden alone, limiting collaboration and insight. When “change success” becomes an individual pursuit, collaboration breaks down, and silos derail our best efforts. True change-progress happens when leaders create opportunities for networking and peer-connection.

This habit looks like:

• Imposing your views or opinions without feedback
• Micromanaging tasks or refusing to delegate

Focusing on the Small Stuff: In major change programs, the details matter—but when the particulars overshadow the big picture or the “why” of the change, teams lose sight of their purpose. Effective leaders who continuously connect change-milestones to organizational goals or benefits boost employee motivation, clarity, and commitment, even when challenges arise.

This habit looks like:

• Focusing on unrelated work
• Losing sight of the intended outcome

The Two Change Derailers

While the traps above can slow change, studies show that there are two behaviors that often completely derail transformation efforts:

Persistent Negativity. When frustration or burnout bubbles to the surface, employees are on the alert for cues from their leaders. Leaders who dwell on obstacles or who are consistently negative—even unintentionally—are signaling that change success is slipping away. Optimism doesn’t mean ignoring reality, it means leading with emotional steadiness, composure, and belief in your team’s capabilities.

This habit looks like:

• Being pessimistic
• Showing impatience & anger
• Feeling frustration & distrust

Disengagement. Silence and withdrawal are warning signs that a change program is in trouble. Employees will mirror their leaders. Staying visible, celebrating progress, and keeping energy high can reignite momentum when change-fatigue sets in.

This habit looks like:

• Avoiding responsibility
• Withholding participation & input
• Ignoring problems & feedback

Turning Awareness into Action

Avoiding these traps and derailers takes more than awareness, it requires deliberate skill building. Leaders who invest in their communication, collaboration, and commitment skills are better equipped to keep change on track, even in challenging situations.

That’s why ChangeSync created our Leading Through Change: TRANSFORM Seminar. It’s designed to help leaders recognize these pitfalls early, build confidence, and create lasting change capability across their organizations.

No jargon. No theory. Just practical strategies to strengthen leadership presence, sustain engagement, and drive meaningful results.

ChangeSync's Leading Through Change Seminar gives your leaders practical ways to build these skills, practice, and put them into action. If leading change feels like a wobbly balancing act, TRANSFORM is the safety net you need. 

Contact us today to learn more about our Leading Through Change Seminar. 

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