“During change, spotlight the anchors as much as sails.”
My understanding
Rachel Botsman’s advice captures something deeply human. When everything feels like it’s moving, people instinctively look for what’s still steady. That’s what makes change feel not only possible but safe, grounded, and maybe even exciting.
The sails are easy to see. They’re bold. They’re fast. They represent motion. New features, shifting strategies, updated designs, fresh tools. These are the parts of change that get the spotlight. But if all we do is talk about the sails, we risk leaving people disoriented. Constant motion without direction can feel like drifting. And that’s where anchors come in.
Anchors are what stay the same. They are the values we stand by. The mission we return to. The culture we protect. The tone, the relationships, the core truths that don’t shift just because everything else does. They are the things we hold on to when everything else feels uncertain what we cling to when we feel like we’re being swept somewhere unfamiliar. Anchors are not there to slow us down. They’re there to remind us who we are while we move forward.
In product design, you can see this in small but powerful ways. A visual refresh still needs to preserve the brand’s voice. A new feature should still reflect the product’s purpose. Even big redesigns succeed when they respect the parts users already trust. You don’t need to reinvent everything. In fact, it’s better if you don’t.
Anchors also show up in the way teams work. A change in tools or processes feels less overwhelming when it’s paired with something familiar. Weekly rituals, core principles, or a shared language help people stay connected while the surroundings shift. These moments of continuity act like a compass.
Spotlighting the anchors gives people a sense of place. It tells them, “We’re moving forward, but we know where we came from.” That message builds trust. It makes room for people to come along for the ride, rather than feel left behind. It shifts change from something imposed to something shared.
Reminds me
- From David Heinemeier Hansson "To build something durable, you have to make it simple.". The strongest ideas, systems, and creations are the ones that focus on what truly matters.
Source
- Rachel Botsman on LinkedIn
- Rachel Botsman official website