A leader shared something with me they hadn’t said out loud before.
They were being asked to drive changes that would eventually remove the need for several roles in their organization—replacing them with AI.
They understood the business case. And from that perspective, they supported the direction.
And at the same time, they were holding a very real question:
“What happens to us—my team and me?”
But they still had to show up every day.
Stay steady in meetings. Answer questions they didn’t fully have answers to. Support people who were looking to them for clarity.
Knowing more than their people did—but with low confidence, given things were still taking shape.
And unable to fully share even what they did know.
They couldn’t offload that uncertainty anywhere. They were leading other people through it while carrying their own.
I know this one. I’ve sat in it many times myself.
The job doesn’t pause so you can sort out what it means for you. You answer the question in front of you. You hold the room. You do the best you can.
And the part of you that’s also wondering “what happens to me” waits in line.
It takes more courage than most people see. And it deserves to be named.