Times of Transition

TIMES of TRANSITION

Nomadic leaders are in a context that inherently involves times of transition. People come in and out of our organizations, the surrounding culture or economic climate changes, our roles shift in order to accommodate to these realities, AND there comes a time when we leave the organization to take on another role. It’s this last transition I want to address since this is the season I am currently in.

It’s real and raw at this moment.

William Bridges is a well-respected author and consultant on transitions. In his book Managing Transition – Making the Most of Change; he clarifies a distinction between change and transition:

“It isn’t the changes that do you in; it’s the transitions. Change is situational – the new site, the new boss, new team, new policies. Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Transition is internal. Unless transition happens, change won’t work. People must reorient themselves psychologically if the situational difference is going to work. The starting point for transition is not the outcome, but the ending point that you will have to make to leave the old situation behind. Letting go of the old reality and the old identity is key to transition.”

Transition is not just a nice way to say change. It is the inner process through which people come to terms with change, as they let go of the way things used to be and reorient themselves to the way things are now. Change often feels like a barrier-wall in front of us. We make a decision that disrupts our status quo, or an external influence erects a barrier to our well-laid intentions. Naturally, we look for a way to "get over it." The change is the decision; it is the stark reality of a new reality. What’s next, however, is the most critical piece – it’s your transition.

Bridges suggests we think of transition not as a wall to climb over, but as a gate in the wall that leads to a new path. Getting on that path requires coming to grips with what is going on inside your heart and mind.

To change your attention away from the change-as-barrier and toward the transition-path, you need to start where the transition itself starts: with letting go of the inner connections you had to the way things were. The question that always helps you to shift your focus from the change to the transition is:

"What is it time for me to let go of?"

I am letting go of a number of things and people. My family for one. I left 3 adult children and one of their spouses behind. No more spontaneous meetings at Starbucks, watching hockey games together at the local sports bar, Sunday family dinners. I have also left a tight-knit group of guys who helped me stay the course on a personal and professional level. I have lost regular routines in familiar places. My expectations for a ‘home’ have to be left behind. I left behind a business dream only 1 year into its birth in the belief that this new role would fulfill the essence of my vision for the business. Networks and partnerships have been left behind.

So what is it time for you to let go of? In some area of your life, whether you are leaving an organization or a personal dream, or the organization you lead is changing around you; you are probably in transition right now so this isn't a hypothetical question. Answering this question isn’t always easy but one thing it will do is open up a path that leads to personal and even spiritual growth.

For example, in what sense could it be time for you to let go of that particular way to use your abilities? In what way is your new context giving you an opportunity to express your talents in a different way or context? In what way are you outgrowing the identity that you've been living with for these past years? And if you aren’t appreciated any longer in your old situation, is that loss in any sense a timely one?

Such questions give you a place to start, a path to follow. Every one of them suggests some learning, some discovery that may lie ahead. Each of them represents a gate in that change-wall that blocked your path. While the path you take may not be of your own choosing or desire, it is a path with meaning for you. Following it will bring you out somewhere. Since change is a wall and transitions the gate in that wall, it's there for you to go through it. Transition represents a path to the next phase of your life.

I am a person that follows the Jesus-way in my spiritual journey. William Bridges talks about the ‘psychological’ aspect of transition as the key to successfully moving from one change to the other. I happen to believe it’s more than psychological. It’s spiritual. There is a deeper level of the soul that is affected and must be addressed when life shifts around us. When your secure way of thinking and doing is upset by transition, what or who, anchors you? If it’s just the latest flavor-of-the-month self help guru’s “5 steps to Successful Transition”, you are placing your future on a foundation of shifting sand. What will the next book or seminar feed you? Establishing a grip on your purpose in life is the ultimate stabilizer in times of change. A purpose pulls you forward and helps you see beyond your current condition.

Besides, if it’s all about this life only, what’s the point?