Transitions and Transition Management

Worksheet on Transitions

Three stages of Transitions.

Stage 1 – An ending.
Stage 2 – The neutral zone.
Stage 3 – A new beginning.

Elements of Endings:
disengagement – external
dismantling – either external or internal
disidentification – internal
disenchantment – internal
disorientation - internal

Questions to ask
• What is ending?
• What is being lost – by who?
• What can be done to acknowledge the loss?
• What can be done to add something that will make a difference in the coping of the loss?
• What will be ending?
• What can be done to normalize?
• What do you need to let go of?


Elements of the Neutral Zone:
Surrender
Not knowing
Empty

• Accept your need for time in the neutral zone.
• Take the opportunity to discover what you want.

Questions to ask
• What behaviors, observations of self and others, would lead you to believe you and/or your organization is in the neutral zone in dealing with transition and ending?
• What temporary support structures are in place?
• What one thing could you do today to add a temporary support structure – that would make the biggest impact?
• What are you doing or could you do to optimize creativity?
• What changes can you hold off on?

A checklist for people in the neutral zone:
• Take your time
• Arrange temporary structures
• Don’t act for the sake of action
• Take care of yourself in little ways
• Explore the other side of change
• Find someone to talk to
• Think of transition as a process of leaving the status quo, living awhile in the a fertile “time out”, and then coming back with an answer.

New Beginnings
• What would it look and feel like if you were entering the new beginning?
• How would you know?
• Are there temporary support structures that need to be dropped?

Reference: Transitions by William Bridges

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