Change is part of working life—deadlines shift, people leave, budgets tighten, or new opportunities appear out of nowhere. A good manager doesn’t panic when plans need to change. Instead, they adjust quickly and calmly, guiding their team through the shift with clear thinking and practical steps.

The first step is to notice what’s changed and why it matters. Let’s say you’re leading a project to launch a new product, and suddenly, a supplier lets you down. That’s a big issue—but not a disaster. As a manager, your job is to pause, reassess, and figure out what needs to happen next. Ask yourself: What’s essential? What can be delayed or dropped? Who needs to be informed?

You then update your priorities. Maybe now the focus is on finding a new supplier and updating the launch schedule. Perhaps you ask your designer, Zoe, to press pause on the brochure and help the procurement team instead. You’re not abandoning the original plan—you’re reshaping it based on new facts.

Involving your team helps everything go more smoothly. Be honest about what’s changing and explain why. People are more likely to stay motivated if they understand the bigger picture. For example, if funding is reduced, you might say, “We’ve had to adjust our budget, so we’re streamlining our approach. That means we’ll focus on the core product first and look at add-ons later.”

Flexibility is key, but so is focus. Changing plans doesn’t mean losing direction—it means choosing a smarter route. Keep your main goal in sight, even if the path looks different. If the original deadline no longer works, set a new one that’s realistic and give the team confidence that you’re still in control.

Keep checking in. If one change leads to another, be ready to adjust again. Perhaps a team member becomes unwell or another department changes course—whatever it is, stay responsive. Being a flexible manager isn’t about saying “yes” to everything. It’s about making smart decisions in the moment, based on your team’s capacity and the organisation’s needs.

And when things settle, take a moment to review. What worked well? What could have been handled better? That way, you’re even more prepared next time.

In short: understand the change, reassess your priorities, keep your team informed, and stay focused on your goal. Change is part of the job, but with a calm head and clear plan, it doesn’t have to throw you off track.

This post will assist completion of the following unit criteria:

301/ML11 2.4 Amend Priorities and plans to take account of changing circumstances