Navigate Transitions: End Well

One year ago, on St. Patrick’s Day, we registered our LLC and Model Leader was born, marking a significant milestone in our journey. While we didn't transition immediately, this choice served as a major catalyst for our leap. What follows are a few reflections from the early stages of our transition (the “ending” stage of Bridges transition model referenced in this newsletter).

The Role of a Message in Transition

When approaching transition, models, frameworks and messages can guide you.

The S-Curve. While discomfort and frustration can drive people toward the next step in their career, it’s also true that too much comfort can signal that it’s time for transition. In her insightful book, “Disrupt Yourself,” Whitney Johnson applies principles of organizational innovation to individuals, challenging any who feel stagnant to leap to the next "S-curve" of growth.

The "S-curve," represents the trajectory of growth and learning over time and serves as a metaphor for the stages of development individuals experience as they navigate their careers, from initial learning and progress to eventual mastery. Johnson encourages leaders to recognize plateaus on their current curve and leap to a new curve to continue advancing. Her conversation with Arthur Brooks last year illuminates more on this, where he talks about similar themes from his book “From Strength to Strength.”

Ecocycle Planning. Another framework to consider is Ecocycle Planning, developed by Keith McCandless and Henri Lipmanowicz. You can see that after birth and maturity, rigidity can follow. Is it time for creative destruction? This framework, first brought to our attention by Andres Marquez-Lara , inspired us to think about the rigidity traps we were in and the need to plow our fields for new soil and new sowing.

Designing Your Life. Another set of frameworks that proved highly useful to us come from the book, “Designing Your Life,” recommended by one of Andrew’s all-time greatest mentors, Tom Fox . This book invites journaling, reflections and offers frameworks to help find alignment between work and life in pursuit of joyful purpose.

Callings. Another lifelong mentor of ours is Jeff Thompson , whose book, “The Zookeeper’s Secret” help break down myths and inspire action to find a sense of true professional calling. Great research and lots of application.

Poetry. A dear friend, Chris Schiavone, MA, PCC , shared the poem “For a New Beginning” with us at just the right time (you can read it at the bottom of this message). Andrew had a set of poems and songs to support, ground, and inspire as he prepared for transition. The playlist ranged from the hip-hop song “Elevate” to Wicked’s “Defying Gravity” to Yo-Yo Ma playing unaccompanied Bach. Those in midlife transition might also appreciate the beautiful perspective from Maria Popova in her recent writing: “The Middle Passage: A Jungian Field Guide to Finding Meaning and Transformation in Midlife.”

Studying these frameworks and resources helped us realize that we had met our highest purpose where we had been leading, and it was time to take on a new mountain.

The Role of a Messenger in Transition

When you sense a transition on the horizon, pay attention not only to messages but also to messengers. People who know us well and people who we are only just meeting can often see what we cannot.

We met with Whitney Johnson at a pivotal, exploratory stage of our decision making last year. She helped identify that both of us had hit plateaus in our current positions, and that the time seemed ripe for change. She was a particular messenger for Ariel, encouraging her and suggesting a specific path that she had not yet considered—a path which is already coming to fruition in beautiful ways.

Later in the spring, Andrew facilitated a session outside his organization where he met Tommy Spaulding (introduced by the one and only Catie Campbell, MS )who, without knowing any of Andrew’s exploration, encouraged and inspired him to take a leap! (In a stroke of remarkable poetry, they also happened to be on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for this conversation—a place where Andrew goes regularly for big picture thinking and reflection.)

We had a dear friend, Felipe Silva Moreira , living with us last year between January and March. His creative, buoyant, Brazilian spirit helped us imagine the possible. He also ended up building our website, giving us a huge boost from idea to reality.

These are just a few of the messengers that showed up on our journey to open our minds to possibilities and open our hearts to hope. (Other significant mentors and messengers in this particular transition include Brodie Riordan, PhD, PCC , Jim Ferrell , Kathrin Peters , Mette Norgaard , among others!) Messengers are out there for you. Look, listen, connect, accept invitations, make offers, show up, and always carry questions. You are not alone!

Sparking Joy

Once you’ve decided to take a leap and pursue creative destruction, pay attention to what fills your cup and what drains it. Notice it, journal about it, talk to those you trust and who know you about it. Assess your work and activities by asking Marie Kondo’s simple question: “Does this item spark joy?” If the answer is yes, consider integrating it into your future endeavors. If not, express gratitude for the task's contribution and strive for a career path that minimizes or eliminates such tasks.

In addition to paying attention to the present, consider the joy of the past. Andrew spent significant time journaling about his years at the Partnership for Public Service, using Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” as a guide. Writing journal entries, writing songs and reflecting with colleagues helped him discover the joy that he had and the joy he wanted to maintain in his new hero’s journey. This effort helped him leave with a sense of abundance and gratitude for what was past while feeling hope for the journey ahead.

Teach Them How to Say Goodbye

Once you have decided to transition, set things up for success. Here are five steps to consider.

1. Identify the essential work that is left to do. Write it down. Share it with your immediate team and supervisor for accountability and support. Stay focused until the end.
2. Communicate transparently about your plans in the right time and right way, in an effort to foster trust and alleviate uncertainty.
3. Set your successor or those who will be acting in your place up for success, with clear roles. Advocate for them. Write a clear transition memo.
4. Stay present to the emotion of the experience. Embrace the gratitude, the joy, the loss, the anticipation, the curiosity, the hope. Express love.
5. Say goodbye. For Andrew this meant a lot of closure, including dinners with friends, sunrise runs on the National Mall with colleagues and times with teammates to reminisce and express mutual gratitude.

When we moved from our home where we raised our young children for ten years, we knew it was time to go. We had outgrown the space, but we had countless positive memories there, and loved the home that had sheltered us and supported us in those formative years. We had changed the home, and the home had changed us. On our last day there, our family went silently through each empty room, and with thankful hearts we touched the walls, and promised we would remember our first family home.

Good luck with your transitions! We are available to support you through yours with coaching, team retreats and more.

With love,

Ariel and Andrew

For a New Beginning, Jon O’Donohue

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,

Where your thoughts never think to wander,

This beginning has been quietly forming,

Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,

Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,

Noticing how you willed yourself on,

Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety

And the gray promises that sameness whispered,

Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,

Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,

And out you stepped onto new ground,

Your eyes young again with energy and dream,

A path of plenitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not yet clear

You can trust the promise of this opening;

Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning

That is at one with your life's desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.