When is the beginning really the ending?
Ellie Scarf
Mentor for Executive and Leadership Coaches ◆ The Business of Executive Coaching Podcast ◆ Growth Strategy for Sustainable + Profitable Coaching Businesses ◆ Senior Executive + Team Coach ◆ Schnauzer Lover
Change is tough but inevitable. We all know that. We also know that there are emotional and psychological aspects of change that are significant, but we don’t always know what to do about it.
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Last week, we posted on our website an article about the 3 stages of transition, and how they apply in the context of bring a new executive on board. We talk about endings, the neutral zone and new beginnings, and in particular we reflect on the importance of tailoring our approach to support based on where the individual is at. (Read the article here).
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The real sticky point in executive transitions, both for the executive starting their new role, and the organisation bringing them in, is in the very early days. This first phase of the transition, (called the ending which is predictably confusing!) is often neglected because we expect our people (or ourselves!) to be in an entirely positive state when they start. We expect excitement, we expect motivation, we expect trust and action orientation.
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What we don’t expect or predict is that this is actually a time of high emotion and ambivalence. Amid the anticipation of new possibilities, there’s often also a sense of loss and discomfort. The rules have changed and familiar colleagues are no longer around for support. We start to question our decision.
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So, what should we do to support our team members, or ourselves, in this phase? The tip here is to normalise these emotions for your new hire and create a safe space for them to acknowledge their mixed feelings.
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This stage primarily requires leaders to display empathy and to offer support. However, the hiring manager, new peers or team may not be the best ears to bend with feelings of doubt and confusion.
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Consider providing a coach or other external support person to act as the ‘cone of silence’ for your new starter to vent or reflect on their emotions. A coach can help them to identify their stress responses and derailing behaviours, which if left unchecked, may send them off track.
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Read our detailed article here to get more information on supporting a new starter or yourself through the 3 phases of a transition.
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Cheers,
Ellie
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PS – happy to discuss also! DM me or book a call here.
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1 年Very insightful. It’s true that there is a season of mourning even at the start of a new role. Organizations constantly overlook beginnings, the middle, and endings. I think about this in terms of workgroups, taskforces, project teams, etc. Any human endeavor that has a start and finish within an organizational context, e.g., onboarding and offboarding. In many ways organizations embrace business as usual, when in fact it’s not.
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1 年Ellie Scarf Change can be difficult, but it's important to remember that it's a natural part of life. Understanding the stages of transition can help us navigate it more effectively.