We are all in the process of unmaking and remaking ourselves. In this salon, join executive coach Jason Shen in exploring the 3 stages of transition and how we might navigate them with greater ease and wisdom.
We live in a time of accelerating change—but there’s a difference between change and transition. Change represents a different external circumstance. Your have a new manager. You live in a new city. Your daily routine is different. This is change.
Transition is the psychological and emotional aspects of dealing with that change. We all know people who are still operating with the same mindset of the past even though it seems misaligned with their present. And we know others who seem in tune with themselves even as they navigate different roles, environments, and circumstances.
In 1979, a former English teacher named William Bridges published a framework for thinking about transitions that has stood the test of time. His book celebrated its 40th anniversary reprinting a few years ago and I’ve found it valuable in my work as an executive coach to entrepreneurs who are figuring out what’s next:
Ending What Currently Is—Bridges observed that many people don’t realize we have to acknowledge what we are losing or leaving behind, and what we might keep, as the first part of any transition.
The Neutral Zone (aka the Messy Middle)—this is an uncomfortable in-between time that’s crucial for adjusting, exploring, and reorienting our identity during a transition.
New Beginnings—finally, the thing we’re all trying to get to: a period rejuvenation and a release of energy as we fully commit to and embody this new direction.
In this discussion salon we will examine these stages and unearth our personal experiences with transition and change—emerging with greater clarity, empathy, and companionship.
