Three Commitments to help you Navigate Transitions

Last week, I had an opportunity to share coffee with someone in the middle of personal career transition. She had recently left a job she loved and was in a season between a known role and an unknown future. I was so impressed with her approach to learning, her ability to navigate her fears and uncertainty, and her desire to grow through the process.

During our conversation, I introduced her to the concept of liminality, the space between the familiar and the completely unknown. As Richard Rohr describes;

We have to allow ourselves to be drawn into sacred space, into liminality. All transformation takes place here. We have to allow ourselves to be drawn out of “business as usual” and remain patiently on the “threshold” (limen, in Latin) where we are betwixt and between the familiar and the completely unknown. There alone is our old world left behind, while we are not yet sure of the new existence. That’s a good space where genuine newness can begin. Get there often and stay as long as you can by whatever means possible.

We experience liminal space in so many ways in our personal, professional, and organizational lives. Think about a place in your life where you were living between the familiar and the completely unknown. It could be a personal scenario, a major change at your company, or a big shift in your business.

Common Transitions you may be Experiencing

• Personal: Resigning (or being let go) from a role; Changing careers to a new industry; Joining a new industry, company, or team; Changing schools or starting a new degree; Graduating from a degree program
• Team: A team member or leader resigning; A team restructuring or downsizing; Hiring a new team leader or coworker
• Company: Implementing a new company system or process; A growing (or shrinking) customer market; A new leader with a new vision

What emotions emerge for you in the midst of these transitions?   

When transitions occur in your life or in your organization, you will most likely feel a wide range of emotions that may change day-to-day. You may feel excited about new opportunities and hopeful for the future. You may feel anxious and fearful when the stability of the familiar is lost. Often our feelings are connected to important aspects of our livelihood and identity. It is completely natural to feel a wide range of emotions in the midst of liminal space. Naming these feelings and learning through the process can help you embrace the unknown and lead to the “genuine newness” Rohr describes.

Three Commitments to help you navigate transitions

When you are in the midst of liminal space, there are three commitments helpful for navigating the space between the familiar and the completely unknown. When you settle into liminality as an individual, leader, or organization, you unlock the potential for genuine newness where change, growth, and new opportunities emerge. You can navigate any transition by viewing the liminal space as an opportunity, surrounding yourself with a team of support, and making decisions based on your vision of the future.

View transition as an opportunity

As I shared earlier, transitions move you and your organizations into a space of the unknown. This space creates instability and anxiety about the future, your roles, your identity, and your job security. If you view the transition as an opportunity (vs. a threat), you increase your capacity to see potential, incorporate a growth mindset, and open yourself to building new skills in the process.

Key Questions: What new opportunities may this transition offer me or my company? What can I learn about myself or the company in this transition?

Surround yourself with the right team

The emerging doubt and uncertainty in the midst of transitions often push you toward isolation and disconnectedness from the people who support you best. When faced with a transition, purposely surround yourself with the right team of supporters. This team will include people who are walking alongside you, trusted encouragers who will listen and help you process the experience, and a network to grow new connections to opportunities.

Key Questions: With whom do I want to strengthen a relationship with through this transition? Who can I connect with to help me process my experience during this season?

Make decisions based on vision vs. fear

As you experience the liminal space, it is easy to see any opportunity as the right opportunity because it provides you immediate stability. Your trusted team of supporters will help you make decisions based on your vision for the future (vs. fear of the unknown). Making thoughtful decisions in the midst of transitions will help expand your capacity to lead others as they face their own transitions.

Key Questions: How is my decision helping further my vision for the future? How can this decision help me achieve long-term success vs. short-term stability?

Conclusion

Making these three commitments in a season of transition will help you navigate the space between the familiar and the completely unknown. We live in a context of constant change in our organizations, our communities, our country, and our world. Liminality, that “threshold” space between, is inevitable and often present in our daily lives. Navigate these transitions through embracing the opportunity, surrounding yourself with the right team, and making decisions based on your vision.

When you find yourself in the midst of an expected or unexpected transition, I would be honored to connect with you to learn more about how you are navigating your transition. It is my privilege to walk alongside leaders in order to see your organization transform for a vibrant future.

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Matt Visser is a Senior Consultant with Design Group International. He has invested over 19 years in growing nonprofit organizations and his greatest joy is empowering adaptive leaders to tackle complex problems.

To learn more about Design Group International and its’ work helping leaders and organizations transform for a vibrant future, visit http://designgroupinternational.com.