Your Change Champion just quit. Now what?

READ TIME - 4 MINUTES

"I've been offered another role. My last day is Friday."

Jess stared at her screen, reading and re-reading the email from Michael, her star change champion in Finance.

The one who'd spent months building support for the new system. The one who actually understood how the new system worked. The one who...was now leaving in four days.

She glanced at the calendar - late January, half her stakeholders still on leave, and now this. Perfect.

"Well sh*t, what do I do now?"

If you're dealing with an unexpected departure (and let's be real, January is prime time for job changes), here are three things you can actually control:

1. The "Knowledge Rescue" Sprint

When someone's leaving fast, you need to capture what's in their head before it walks out the door.

How to do it:

  • Schedule three 30-minute sessions over their remaining days:

    • Session 1: Map out their key stakeholder relationships and influence networks

    • Session 2: Document their tips for managing resistance in their area

    • Session 3: Create a "Change Champion Handover Guide" with their insights about what works (and what doesn't) with their team

Pro tip: Don't waste time on perfect documentation. Voice notes, quick videos, scribbled notes and rough diagrams are better than nothing.

2. "Interim Connections" Strategy

You can't control who replaces them, but you can maintain crucial relationships until the new person starts.

How to do it:

  • Ask the departing Change Champion to nominate their best interim contact for change program-related stuff

  • Map out which relationships and information flows need to stay active

  • Create a simple contact sheet for different aspects of the change

  • Set up regular check-ins with the interim contact

  • Keep your existing relationships with other team members extra warm

Pro tip: This is a great time to strengthen connections with other influencers in that area who might step up as informal Change Champions.

3. The "Stakeholder Circuit"

Get ahead of any potential concerns impacted stakeholders may have before they spiral.

How to do it:

  • Draft a clear message about what this means for them and the change program

  • Focus on continuity: "The change program is continuing as planned, here's how to stay connected..."

  • Personally contact key impacted stakeholders (don't let them hear it through the grapevine)

  • Be honest but positive about how you'll maintain momentum

  • Make it clear who they can contact about change-related questions

Pro tip: Use this as an opportunity to strengthen relationships. Sometimes a challenge like this lets you show how reliable you are.

Look, losing a stellar Change Champion is never great timing (though why is it always in January?). But it doesn't have to derail your program.

The secret isn't in trying to control things you can't (like who gets hired next). It's about preserving valuable insights, maintaining key relationships, and keeping the momentum going until things settle.

Remember: change programs are bigger than any one person even if it doesn't feel like it right now.

That’s it for today.

Next Tuesday we’re diving into how to face the “back-to-work blur” - Don't miss it!

See you then,

Team EVER

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Kate Byrne