Moving through a transition well means giving time and space to each phase...
Every transition begins with an ending and ends with a beginning. Transitions are something we all encounter frequently – personally, professionally, individually, and corporately. They can occur over several months or many years. The way you navigate those transitions can make all the difference. Moving through a transition well means giving time and space to each phase. From a professional perspective, whether the transition is a merger, a new job, a new colleague, a retirement, or a new process at work, we can think of these transitions as having three phases: an ending, an in-between, and a new beginning. While we tend to move through these three phases, from an ending to a new beginning, the boundaries are not sharply demarcated and likely we will move back and forth between them as we traverse the transition. We should not confuse change with transition as change has a starting point and focuses on an outcome while in transition the starting point is the ending of an old way you will need to leave behind to move toward a new way and identity.
Ending
Endings are disruptions that change the status quo. They involve letting go of old ways and an old identity. Our work during the ending phase is to acknowledge the loss and the feelings that loss generates. It is to take the time needed to mourn. When this ending is happening to our colleague(s), our role is to offer empathy and a listening ear.
Some endings are positive like a promotion, a baby, or a new colleague. Others may be sorrowful such as the retirement of a beloved leader, the death of a colleague, or the loss of one’s good health. In each of these endings, positive or sorrowful, something has been lost. Some endings are planned, and some may come as an unwelcome shock or even a happy surprise. It is important to remember that the amount of agency one has in the ending affects the experience of the transition process.
Every individual’s experience of an ending is unique and the amount of time they need to process it and how they process it will vary. The ability to go through the next two phases is dependent on how sufficiently one works through the loss.
In-Between
This phase is both where the magic happens and what most people experience as the most uncomfortable phase. The old ways and old identity are gone, and the new ways are not yet known or operational. During this phase, critical realignments and repatternings are formed within us. These can run the gamut from psychological, to organizational, and operational.
One characteristic of this phase is fear. People need, and currently lack, understanding (what is happening?), support (who are my people now?), identity (who am I now?), and a clear sense of priorities (what matters in this new dynamic?). The natural inclination is to skip this liminal space and move to the new beginning. One’s work during this time is to remain curious, be patient, ask questions, remain open-minded, be courageous, and seek to meet one’s own stress management needs. When leading others through this phase transparency, clear and frequent communication, pointing toward a shared vision, and offering encouragement are key.
While this is the phase of the unknown, it is also the phase where creativity happens! It is the phase where innovation and revitalization take place. It is a space pregnant with possibility as the individual or system adapts to the new way and generates fresh solutions. It is the place of becoming.
New Beginning
As one enters the new beginning they move out of the transition. They have begun to answer the question, who am I or who is this organization or system now? In this phase, one enjoys the excitement of a new identity, experiences a new energy, and discovers a new sense of purpose that makes the changes begin to work. Our role in this phase is to lean into this new way and to celebrate who we have become, offering gratitude to those who have helped us on our way!