Lessons About Leadership and Mental Health from Driving Cross-Country with Two Cats

When I got job offers in Washington, I was elated. After a long period of searching, I finally had a direction. I made a choice—and then another. That’s how it is with big transitions: one decision leads to the next, and soon you find yourself packing boxes, looking for a place to live, booking movers, and planning a cross-country move.

And then there were the cats.

Driving across the country toward a new job, a new home, and a new chapter, I had plenty of time to sit with uncertainty. I imagined scenarios—some hopeful, some anxious—about what the new job would be like, how I’d show up, and how I’d be received. Change impacts our sense of safety, even when we’re the ones choosing it. That’s why trauma-informed leadership and psychological safety are so critical in the workplace (Bloom & Farragher, 2013; Edmondson, 2019)—especially during times of transition.

The way my cats reacted on the drive reminded me how everyone may process change in wildly different ways. A team member who resists a change initiative might just need space to acclimate—like Wendel under the chair. Another might appear enthusiastic but still harbor hidden anxieties, like Cleo tucked near the floorboard. A leader’s job isn’t to rush everyone forward; it’s to pay attention to those differences and create space for gradual acceptance (Center for Creative Leadership, 2015).

I was reminded that it isn’t just about getting somewhere quickly. It’s about how you bring others along.

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