How I Navigated a Major Roadblock (And the 8-Step Process You Can Use Too)

When you're trying to drive change—whether that's inside a hospital system, through a public health program, or within your own professional community—your plans will not go smoothly. Not because you're unprepared or unskilled, but because real change work happens inside complex, messy systems. Things break. People resist. Unexpected obstacles emerge.

The question is never: "Will I face a roadblock?"

The question is: "How will I respond when the roadblock appears?"

Today, I want to show you exactly how I handled a major roadblock inside one of my own projects—and the structured 8-step process I relied on to work through it, without spiraling into panic or abandoning my goal.

This post is adapted from a longer episode inside my private podcast series, The Changemaker Case Files—where I pull back the curtain on real conversations with nurse changemakers and share the systems thinking strategies we use behind the scenes. (If you want to hear the full private podcast for free, [you can sign up here].)

The roadblock I’ll walk you through today wasn’t a clinical crisis. It wasn’t a leadership mutiny.It was a tech failure—one that threatened months of planning, dozens of hours of work, and a project I cared deeply about.

Was it life or death? Absolutely not. 

But what I’ve learned, studying all the different tools and strategies for making and managing systems change, is that these tools apply no matter the scale or scope. Whether it’s a corrupted Zoom file or a system-wide staffing collapse, resilience depends on your ability to think clearly, process emotions strategically, and adapt in real time.

Here’s how I did it—and how you can too.

The Original Vision (and What Went Wrong)

Last fall, I designed the Changemaker Case Files project to create a new kind of resource: real coaching conversations with nurses across healthcare leadership, change-making, and systems work.

I scheduled free 30-minute Zoom calls with members of the Nursing the System community. Some were former or future Change Maker Essentials students. Some were 1:1 clients. Some were simply nurses eager for a fresh systems perspective on a professional challenge.

The plan was simple:

• Record 10 conversations.

• Lightly edit for clarity and confidentiality.

• Share them through a private podcast to help other nurses learn from the real challenges and successes their peers were facing.

  
  

Everything went smoothly—until I opened the files to edit them.

Nearly every single recording was corrupted.

Chunks of audio missing. Entire segments of conversation gone.Suddenly, my "perfect" plan collapsed.

My 8-Step Roadblock Navigation Process

Step 1: Recognize the Problem

The first move when a roadblock appears isn’t action. It’s recognition.You have to see clearly: "The plan has gone of course. And this may be a minor setback OR a real issue that requires my attention."

My example:I uploaded the first Zoom file into Descript (my editing software) and immediately saw the problem: huge missing audio sections.I didn’t minimize it. I didn’t say “I’ll fix it later.” I recognized the magnitude immediately.

Step 2: Investigate the Problem

Recognition alone isn’t enough. You need a full scope analysis.

My example:I systematically opened every recording. Not just the first one. I needed to know:

• How many files were affected?

• Was this isolated or widespread?

• Were any files salvageable?

  
  

The answer was grim: almost every file was corrupted to some degree. Two might be intact.

But the vast majority were compromised.

Step 3: Discharge Emotional Tension

This step matters more than most people realize.

Systems thinking isn’t just about logical analysis. It’s about managing your emotional system too.You cannot make strategic decisions if your body and brain are flooded with panic.

My example:

• I stared at the wall for 10 minutes.

• I made a cup of tea.

• I sent a rambling Voxer message to my assistant Maddie.

• I let myself feel the grief of losing the vision I had for the project.

  
  

No solutions. No planning.Just letting the adrenaline burn off without doing anything impulsive.

Because problem-solving from a dysregulated place usually just creates new problems.

Step 4: Ask What Isn’t Broken

Once you’ve stabilized yourself emotionally, you look for the assets that remain.

Even in disaster, there are usually salvageable parts.

My example:

• Two recordings seemed fully intact.

• Every conversation still had full AI-generated transcripts.

• Participant consent forms were complete.

• The initial feedback I’d received from participants was positive—validating the value of the conversations.

  
  

The dream wasn't fully dead. I had material to work with.

Step 5: Be Cautiously Creative

At this point, you brainstorm—not reactively, but cautiously and strategically.

My questions included:

• Could I re-record new conversations? (Theoretically yes, but not ideal. Capacity constraints were real.)

• Could I supplement missing sections by recording myself narrating key points based on the transcripts? (Yes.)

• Could I incorporate clips from other sources—like coaching calls with existing 1:1 clients, or voice notes from Change Maker Essentials students in our Voxer group? (Yes.)

• Could I reframe the structure of the podcast season to blend different types of conversations into a cohesive listening experience? (Yes.)

  
  

Rather than clinging to the original rigid plan, I gave myself permission to reimagine what “success” could look like.

Step 6: See Opportunity in the Solutions

This is the shift from salvaging to strengthening.

My example:I realized that blending different types of content—coaching calls, community Voxer messages, live student experiences—would actually create a richer and more diverse picture of what nursing leadership and change-making looks like in real life.

Instead of only hearing 10 individual calls, listeners would now get:

• Behind-the-scenes voice notes from my Change Maker Essentials students, recorded during real-time leadership challenges.

• Excerpts from ongoing coaching relationships with 1:1 clients, showing how systems strategies unfold over time.

• Additional narrative commentary from me, tying all the threads together and deepening the teaching.

  
  

The new version wasn't a downgrade.It was an upgrade in authenticity, depth, and accessibility.

Step 7: Implement It

Ideas don't matter until you execute.

My example:

• I contacted clients for permission to share anonymized excerpts of their coaching calls.

• I curated and edited the surviving podcast recordings.

• I reviewed Voxer conversations from my Change Maker Essentials cohort to find teachable moments.

• I recorded new "clip-ins" explaining missing pieces and providing extra context where audio was damaged.

  
  

It was tedious work. It took more hours than I planned.But the final result was something I could stand behind—with integrity and pride.

Step 8: Be Transparent

When things go wrong, hiding the truth is tempting.But transparency builds credibility—and models leadership resilience.

My example:I told my private podcast listeners exactly what happened:

• The original plan was derailed.

• I encountered a major roadblock.

• I navigated it strategically, creatively, and ethically to still deliver value.

• And the season they were hearing reflected that process.

  
  

No sugarcoating.No defensiveness.Just real leadership.

Why This Matters for Nurse Changemakers

Every single systems-change project you ever lead will hit bumps, barriers, and blind curves.

The people who succeed aren't the ones who avoid problems.

They’re the ones who know how to:

• Recognize problems early.

• Regulate their nervous systems.

• Salvage what’s left.

• Brainstorm creatively.

• Find new opportunities.

• Implement fearlessly.

• And stay honest throughout.

  
  

Systems work isn’t about creating perfect plans. It’s about building adaptive, resilient pathways toward your goals—even when the landscape keeps shifting.

The 8-step framework I walked you through isn’t just for blog post fodder. It's the same mental model I use inside hospital leadership roles, innovation projects, change management initiatives, and personal resilience work.

And if you’re serious about leading meaningful change in healthcare, this skillset isn’t optional. It’s foundational.

Want More Strategic Leadership Support?

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If you're serious about building sustainable impact in your career—and doing it without burning out—[you can subscribe here].