Just as a gardener must carefully transplant mature plants to new locations, engineering leaders often face the delicate task of guiding their teams through organizational changes. Reorganizations can feel like uprooting—disrupting established roots and familiar environments. But with the right approach, these transitions can lead to healthier growth and stronger foundations.
Prepare the Soil First Before announcing any changes, prepare your team like a gardener prepares new soil. Communicate the why behind the reorganization—the sunlight, water, and nutrients that will help everyone thrive in the new structure. Transparency about the business needs and growth opportunities builds trust and reduces uncertainty.
Handle Roots with Care Teams develop deep roots in their existing structures, processes, and relationships. Like carefully untangling root systems, acknowledge what’s working well and preserve the valuable connections that make your team successful. Identify which practices should migrate to the new organization and which might need pruning.
Provide Adequate Support After transplanting, plants need extra water and nutrients to establish themselves. Similarly, teams need additional support during transitions. Increase your communication frequency, provide clear documentation of new processes, and be available for questions. Regular check-ins help identify where teams might be struggling to take root.
Expect Some Wilting Even with perfect execution, plants often wilt temporarily after being moved. Your team will experience similar adjustment periods—decreased productivity, confusion about new reporting lines, or discomfort with changed responsibilities. This is normal. Your role is to provide stability and reassurance while new patterns establish.
Monitor New Growth Patterns Watch for signs of healthy adaptation: renewed energy, new collaborations, and innovative problem-solving. Celebrate small wins as the team finds its footing. Like new shoots emerging after transplanting, these indicators show the reorganization is taking hold successfully.
Remember the Seasons Organizational changes, like gardening, follow natural cycles. There are seasons for rapid growth and seasons for consolidation. Be patient—it takes time for teams to fully adapt and for the benefits of reorganization to manifest.
Leading through reorganization requires the gardener’s blend of patience, foresight, and gentle persistence. By treating your team with the same care you’d give valuable plants during transplanting, you can help them not just survive the change, but thrive in their new environment.