Free Fall To Solid Ground: A Guide To Successful Transition

When change prevails, it is tempting to hang on to what feels safe and known. Yet hanging on too long can impact your wellbeing and future growth.

Read how to navigate transition and support your future success.

During decades leading organisational change, I helped thousands of individuals and teams get from where I am now to where I want or need to be.  Today I still hear what I heard then: that change feels hard, scary and uncomfortable.

It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear … It’s like being between trapezes.

Marilyn Ferguson, American Futurist

Do you know this feeling?

Hanging on as long as possible until you finally let go of what is solid and known, and free fall into a different space. Or find you are pushed and have no choice.

I know it well. I hung on too long in a couple of roles where I needed the money or it felt easier to stay; despite knowing I didn’t have opportunities to use my strengths and that my chances of making an impact were zero.

People I coach face the same dilemma. It’s not the change, it is the letting go that they find difficult, even when they feel a sense of excitement or potential about the future. Even with the best planning, meticulous preparation and solid support in place.

I used well over a dozen different change theories, methodologies or models during my professional change career. Most of these were well-regarded, grounded in research, and/or scientifically validated. The ONLY one that resonated, every single time, with frontline staff through to CEOs, was the Bridges (1986) transition model of change.

I was lucky enough to learn from William Bridges – in person - and to be accredited in his change programs for individuals and organisations in transition.

Change and Transition Are Not Identical.

Bridges suggests change and transition are parallel; not the same thing.

Change is when one thing stops and something new begins.

For example:

>     New technology necessitates that you adapt to new processes

>     A new leader has different accountability mechanisms than you are used to

>     A restructure is implemented and your role changes

>     You are let go from your job

>     You leave your employment to start your own business

>     You change career.

Transition is what people struggle with. The psychological process that occurs as you internalise and reconcile the new situation that change brings about.

Even when it is not done to us, change and transition can also destabilise and potentially jeopardise our wellbeing. The impacts of contemplating and navigating psychological transition may include heightened and fluctuating emotions, lower resilience, disrupted sleep, less attention to exercise and health, and choppy relationships.

So what happens during transition and what can I do about it?

Understanding and Managing Transition

Transition is the gradual, psychological reorientation process that happens inside us as we adapt to external change. Transition often results from change, but it may also begin before the change takes place.

William Bridges, 1998

The Three Processes Of Transition

Here I present a high-level overview of the three transition processes, noting that people are almost always in more than one process at any time.

Process #1 - Endings

This involves letting go of what used to be and who we were in that context. Endings are difficult as you need to let go of the stable and familiar, and they involve losses, not least of your former identity.

What To Do About Endings

📍Accept there will be endings and endings involve both loss and emotions.

📍 Assess what is over and what is not changing (what does not change is sometimes called anchors).

📍Acknowledge and honour what is or will be over. How will you respectfully mark the ending? E.g., Will you journal, go on vacation, meet with colleagues and reflect on what you achieved? This can help you focus on the best of the past and build a source of future positive reminiscence.

📍Plan how to manage your endings effectively, including how you will manage your wellbeing and emotions during this period.

Process #2 – Neutral Zone

This can be a confusing in-between time. Former clarity is gone, yet who you are and where you are going is still unknown. You may feel disoriented, as if between trapezes. Yet this in-between space can also be a time of creativity, learning and experimentation, where new ideas and options emerge, unhindered by previous knowns and givens.

What To Do About The Neutral Zone

The key to navigating the neutral zone is to re-establish, or regain a sense of stability around four things:

📍Control: How can you restore a degree of control to your life, wellbeing and career? This might include reframing how you think of and describe this in-between time.

 📍Understanding: What do you need to know? What options are available? Where can you find that information? What opportunities can you tune into? What creative ideas can you experiment with? What development can you do to inform decisions about what’s next?

📍Support: Relatedness is a basic human need and social connection and belonging are especially important during this time. What support do you need (interpersonal, career, practical, mental health)? Where can you get it? Your support network can act as a buffer and foster positive emotions, optimism and hope for what might be.

📍Purpose: Now is the time to clarify or re-establish your purpose or determine your ideal future. What matters to you? How can your values and interests guide you? What are your best hopes? What do you really want? What difference would that make?

Process #3 – New Beginning

The new start can be a time of much anticipation and excitement, as you establish a new identity, direction and purpose that helps the change begin to work. Yet uncertainty, risk and the possibility of failing can exist. Valuable support, reinforcement for new behaviours and recognition of early successes help sustain the change, though it is not uncommon to lose confidence and slip back into old habits before moving forward again.

What To Do About New Beginnings

📍Revisit your purpose, then envision a clear, specific picture of how your new beginning will look, feel and work.

📍Develop a plan, with concrete actions and timelines to keep you on track. What strengths will you boost or lead with to help you achieve what you’ve planned?

📍Celebrate or recognise early wins or small successes as you build your confidence and momentum. Doing this fosters a sense of pride, improves morale, and generates positive emotions that help amplify and encourage your success.

📍Expect to shift, adapt and correct your course or role as you shape your new identity and the new beginning.

📍 Help others understand their role to support the plan and outcome. For example, if a new role involves different work arrangements, communicate clearly how key people can contribute to your success. 

I hope you have found this useful.

Transitioning from the familiar to the unknown isn’t easy but is possible. It is also where personal growth happens and new futures are created. Remember, you don't have to navigate it alone and you do not have to sacrifice your wellbeing.

Whether you are grappling with letting go, feeling free fall in the neutral zone or wanting support to assist your new beginning, let’s discuss how I can support your successful transition.

Read More

Bridges, W. (2003). Managing transitions: Making the most of change (2nd Ed.). Perseus Publishing.

Gorman, B. (2019, April 26). When it’s time to change, remember: You have anchors, and so do your employees. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/04/26/when-its-time-to-change-remember-you-have-anchors-and-so-do-your-employees/

Greene, J., & Grant, A, M. (2003). Solution-focused coaching: Managing people in a complex world. Pearson Professional Education.

Lewis, S. (2016). Positive psychology and change: How leadership, collaboration, and appreciative inquiry create transformational results. Wiley Blackwell.

Napier, A. D., Slemp, G. R., & Vella-Brodrick, D. A. (2024). Crafting one’s life and its relationship with psychological needs: A scoping review.  Applied Research in Quality of Life. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-024-10322-z