Transitions can be hard. Life is full of them. We are born. We go away to college. We get married, divorced, have children. We start new jobs. We get fired. We move to a new city or a new country. We retire.
All transitions have one thing in common, change. Managing change requires that we use every possible skill set that we have developed over our lifetime until this point, and bring them all together to allow us to emerge from the transition as a more fulfilled individual, a person who is not just surviving the change but is thriving on the other side of the transition. Some transitions feel like walking up a gentle slope to get to a beautiful vista. Others feel more like falling off a cliff or jumping into a snow bank. Its not always possible at the start to know which type is coming.
Many of my clients have been grappling with a variety of transitions. Whether transitioning from one location to another, or one job to another, or one role to another, or one stage of life to another they have all needed courage to initiate the change; they have had to be curious about the factors that would lead to success in their new situation, and they had to be creative as they learned new things, met new people, and dealt with losses (friends, lifestyle, status, comfort) they may not have anticipated. Although each of them already had the requisite talent, knowledge, and attitudes they needed to be successful in their new ventures, they found that having a coach was both useful and fun. A few examples:
One person who transitioned into a leadership role and to a new organization found it helpful to have a thinking partner with whom to explore various ideas and rehearse possible responses to challenges in the new work setting.
Another Individual was faced with the need to change careers in midlife, and found that coaching helped to establish priorities and regain confidence in their own value and purpose in life. They were able to approach the change from a position of strength instead of self-perceived weakness.
Another found that coaching helped to lessen the anxiety accompanying the challenges of a new role in both life and career. By recognizing how certain patterns of behavior were negatively impacting effectiveness and efficiency they were able to transition much more smoothly.
None of these folks needed a coach. But they wanted someone outside their usual circle of friends, family, or coworkers who would listen to their ideas and concerns and provide a sounding board when things were confusing or not going as they expected. They wanted a trusted voice who would provide honest feedback as well as help them see their own blind spots. They were grateful to have someone who could help them recognize and name emotions that were hiding behind their actions. They found value in the use of reflective inquiry to help them see into their motivation and identify their grandest dreams, as well as the impediments that could sabotage their ability to see those dreams become reality.
I’d love to hear about any transition you are contemplating or one that you have recently experienced. What has been of most help to you as you made this change? What is or has been standing in your way?
What fears will you have to overcome to reach your vision of an optimal scenario 1-2 years into your transition? A coach can help you find the courage to do what you know you need to do.
What problem are you facing that seems unsolvable at this time? A coach can help you find the creativity within yourself to solve it.
What knowledge do you need to function superbly in your new role? A coach can help you focus your curiosity in such a way as to get the right knowledge to enable you to thrive in the new situation.
If any of these situations sound like something you are facing, you may want to engage a coach.
Contact me and we can discuss whether coaching might be useful to you.
Thanks for reading! I value your time and presence. Please come find me on Twitter at @CoachingADA, or via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/coachingada . Or send me an email at Alice@adackerman.com