When A Restructuring Plan Works On Paper But Creates Confusion In Reality
Client Case Study:
A high growth, mid-size company in the energy space had grown fast, made money early, and hit a wall. After a founder buyout, the remaining leader set a restructuring plan in motion to support a new strategic vision. On paper, the plan made sense. In reality, it stirred confusion and anxiety.
The Problem:
What worked before wasn’t working anymore. The company needed to reinvent how it worked, but:
Employees were coasting on past wins
New hires clashed with the old guard
The new strategy was fuzzy
Leaders weren’t aligned
Communication was inconsistent and unclear
Looming layoffs added pressure and uncertainty
What We Did:
Over the course of two months, we helped the team reset:
Talked to stakeholders and ran an employee survey to uncover what was really going on
Held leadership workshops to co-create a shared vision and align behind the new strategic direction
Turned that vision into a clear visual that made strategy easy to understand
Co-created values-based behaviors and surfaced existing best practices during an all-hands session to bring the team along and connect vision to their day-to-day
Helped executives communicate more clearly so people understood what’s happening and why
Worked with the leadership team to define rhythms for continued alignment
The Results:
The shift was fast and impactful:
✔ 95% of employees said they now understood where the company was headed
✔ A disengaged senior leader who considered leaving recommitted to the business
✔ Legacy and newer employees started working as one team
✔ Leaders gained shared understanding and confidence to lead their own strategic retreat
✔ The team embraced uncertainty, trusted the process, and saw their role in shaping the future
✔ Employees realized they didn’t need all the answers right away, because they trusted the direction and felt part of the journey
Why It Matters:
Restructuring often looks clean in a slide deck, but on the ground, it can spark doubt, disengagement, and fear, sabotaging the success of the initiative and affecting the bottom line. People want to understand: Where are we going? Why now? Do I still matter here and how do I fit in?
Without that clarity and connection, even the smartest strategy can fail. In this case, a solid restructuring plan needed stronger buy-in. We helped rebuild trust, reset alignment, and move the team forward towards their new strategic vision, together.
If you’re restructuring, make sure your plan translates from paper to reality.
Let’s talk. The Change-Resilient Advantage Group helps organizations navigating restructuring get their teams on board, aligned, communicating, and collaborating.
