Transitions: Before, During, and After

Every day we have the choice of what to do, who to be, and what direction to head in.  A legitimate option is to do, be, and head in the same direction as yesterday; but, we owe it to ourselves and the world to consciously make the best choice, which likely will involve at least some difference from today or last year.  

A meaningful life is full of transitions, some for which we intend and plan, and others that arise because of outside forces.  External transitions give us the golden opportunity to mindfully make life choices, but why wait on external pressures?  Partners in Thought® techniques help individuals and organizations plan for successful and worthwhile transitions, make the best of unintended transitions, and manage change.

Individual or Personal Transitions.  Examples of intentional personal transitions for which Partners In Thought® coaching can help include: career changes; role changes at work; life changes (such as plans for marriage, divorce, retirement or “anti-retirement,” or succession and estate planning), the start of a new business venture, or intentions for a new personal venture (such as learning a language, sport, or musical instrument).  Examples of unplanned personal transitions may include career changes (promotions, demotions, and terminations), an inheritance, illness, death of loved ones, financial changes (up or down), and divorce.  

Sometimes we need closure on a prior phase, even though we don’t realize it. We will be stronger and happier in our next phase if we can first determine our place in the world - our values.  Taking action is great, but aiming before shooting is best.  Related to personal transitions, Partners in Thought® processes also address making tough decisions, solving tough problems, and managing crises, peak performance, managing stress and time, and finding happiness.  High achievers particularly benefit from coaching support before, during, and after transitions because of the seemingly greater loss of what they are giving up and their higher expectations of the next phase.

Organizational Transitions.  To succeed in an organizational change initiative, the organization needs a coach of some sort.  Change requires vision, collaboration, buy-in, and incubation.  Varying research consistently, yet surprisingly, reveals that 70%-80% of organizational change initiatives fail, primarily because of stakeholder resistance to change. Involvement yields buy-in and commitment. People support what they help to create:  if stakeholders participate in formulating the change, they will be committed. Additionally, managing organizational change resulting from unintended events or circumstances requires careful and objective analysis and planning, whether change is from a positive source, such as accelerated organizational growth and new opportunities, or from new limitations, such as new regulations, a retiring key executive, market contraction, or human resource limitations.  Related to organizational transitions, Partners in Thought® processes also address making tough decisions, problem solving, and crisis management, family business planning, managing stress and time, optimizing and exploiting management and leadership skills, organizational development, and facilitation services.

Many Partners in Thought® interactive workshops relate to intended or unintended personal or organizational transitions, including workshops on Overcoming Barriers to Desired Change,  Entrepreneurial Leadership: Leadership for Change, Decision-Making, Learning and Memory, Family Business Planning, Happiness, and Taking Your Organization and Employees to a Higher Level: Crafting the Developmental Organization.