Transition: A Constant In Life and Business

Transition is moving from one situation or state to another. Consider growing up as a series of constant transitions, moving us from one stage of mastery to another.

When we are young we appear to do it naturally, maybe our desire to be a grown up and be independent, free and to become our own authority, motivates us. Maybe it is something else. Whatever it is, it seems that if we desire the change we transition with ease but when we dislike the change we are in resistance, pain and conflict and we can get stuck.

As a multi sport athlete I recall learning that a race could be seriously impacted by my ability to change between gear and the muscle movement between cycling, running and kayaking. In my observation, we can almost always choose how we react to change. When we don’t like it, we instinctively resist it and try to slow it down – thereby impacting our performance. We can learn to influence the speed of change and sometimes the direction, but we can never stop it.

As in life, in business leading transition is both significant and critical if you are to flourish. At this point some of you reading this may strongly disagree and see the need to continually transition as expensive, exhausting and an annoyance.

Consider for a minute how a transition can also serve you. Think of the new people you have hired over the last 12 months, if they don’t learn and transition into your business your business cannot function. They need to transition to the way your business does things, your processes and systems so that they work together efficiently and congenially. These same people are also having to continually transition as their own lives change, as they start the new role with you, find a life partner, buy a house or have a family etc.

Consider your customers, if your business is a restaurant, you need and want them to return. Your customers need to transition to the seasonal changes in your menu, your staff and the general busyness of your venue. So, you need to make these factors part of what they can expect, making sure all of these factors are all appealing and beneficial to them personally. When you communicate this well, you will form a connection and you will have the perfect customer.

Consider the following to improve your ability to master transition:

• Embrace transition as a positive and important aspect of your life and business.
• Recognise the pulse of change and always try and stay in sync with it, not too far ahead and never behind.
• Set goals and master achieving them on a continuous basis. Remember they must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound.
• Learn to let go of everything that no longer serves you, old thoughts, habits, associations and possessions.
• Embrace and support empathy towards those that you lead, help them to adjust and make sure they can also be a winner from change, rather than the victim.
• Create your business model to include transition pathways with positive outcomes for those that support the evolution of your business – be generous and think for the long term.
• Communicate and involve people early when looking to transition, never surprise people and never hide information.

If you can imagine your life as a large slow-moving river with you a cork moving at the will of the current. The other corks you are floating with are experiencing a similar life experience, in the same space and time as you, so you feel a connection -they become your community. If you are moving a little faster than the current, you can steer your own course, maintaining a connection to the other corks moving at the same speed as you. But if you move a lot faster you lose that connection and become separated from your community. On the contrary if you get stuck in an eddy or at the edge of the river you become separated from your community with the current washing by you spinning you around in circles, confusion and chaos. The separation from your community creating a sense of loss that can manifest as grief and erode self-belief. This can compound your difficulty of getting back in the current and recreating a new connection with other corks moving a little bit faster than the current. The secret of your success is mastering your ongoing transitioning through change, but also taking your community that’s wants to with you.