Change is Constant: Transition is an Ongoing Journey Ten years ago, I designed a leadership program to support people at a crossroad, asking the question, “What’s Next?” Vista Leadership Institute combined self-discovery, leadership skill development, coaching and prototyping the next chapter of your life. In 2022, I sunsetted the formal program and transitioned the design to a stand-alone coaching package called Personal Odyssey Coaching. The Transition Framework is not a new concept. It is something I became familiar with earlier in my career through the work of William Bridges, the change management expert who outlined three stages of change: Endings, the Neutral Zone, and New Beginnings. The difference between change and transition is an important distinction. Change is an external event that takes place (job loss, pandemic, war, new leadership). Change can happen quickly. According to Bridges, “Transition is the inner psychological process that people go through as they internalize and come to terms with the new situation that the change brings about.” Supporting people through transition is essential if any desired change is to be successful. This work happens in the Neutral Zone. The Neutral Zone is the second stage of transition, where leaders experience letting go. It is the core of the transition process and doesn’t feel neutral at all. Leaders feel disoriented and distressed. It is when the critical psychological realignment and repatterning take place. It is a place of emergence of new beginnings. In Personal Odyssey Coaching, I use the Theory U framework by Otto Scharmer to support leaders in navigating the neutral zone. The neutral zone is the seedbed for new beginnings. Theory U provides the steps to move from being stuck to exploring new beginnings. Over the last five years, there has been an acceleration of change requiring leaders to seek increased support to navigate the world we live in. I have clients who have lost their jobs due to international funding cuts, leading them to explore different pathways to work internationally, others who have decided to retire and start new businesses, or enroll in a degree program to pursue a new career. Transition Coaching is now a formal business. You can search the internet and find many different opportunities for this type of coaching support. Given that change is constant, the question to answer is “How transition-ready are you?” Transition Coaching can offer numerous benefits: Clarification of your values, alignment of purpose with work Increased resilience, emotional intelligence and flexibility Supportive accountability and encouragement through the neutral zone A road map to “What’s Next” If you are in the neutral zone now or know it is coming, contact me to discuss transition coaching and the Personal Odyssey Tour. Your future self will thank you for it!
