Mastering the in-between
Mastering the in-between
We kick today’s piece off with a quote from our friend Pierre du Plessis:
“Between the old and the new lies an empty space.
Lies a threshold, a corridor, a gap waiting to be crossed.
To fill a glass with something new, you must first empty it.
These in-between spaces are the only way to move from the old to the new, times of limbo, or “liminal spaces,” where change happens.
It’s a time for emptying, for letting go, for laying down before filling up again, for rebirth, and for rising anew.”
If you are anything like me (and most other people), you are not exactly thrilled by change, especially when it seems unnecessary. When we work with the leaders of organisations trying to implement significant changes, the main message in almost all cases is that they need to communicate the WHY behind the change more than the WHAT. Getting people to buy in starts with repeatedly telling them the reasons why the change is needed and necessary. What the practicalities of the changes entail becomes secondary.
Calculated changes are always done for a reason, irrespective of whether these reasons are valid or not. You might not like the reasoning, but at least somebody can explain the purpose behind the change.
What is more difficult to deal with are the changes that are not calculated. Those things that just happen – often for no apparent reason at all! Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reading a book by Brad Stulberg called Master of Change: How to Excel when Everything is Changing – Including You. It’s a useful book, which I enjoyed a lot.
One of the central principles of the book is what Stulberg refers to as Rugged Flexibility. It is a combination of two extreme, opposite characteristics, either of which on their own are not useful when it comes to dealing with change. Too much ruggedness and rigidity and we break. Too much flexibility and fluidity and we run the risk of losing our identity completely – as organisations, teams and individuals. I would do a disservice to Stulberg and his book to try and summarize his thinking too narrowly, but here goes:
Often when change occurs, our default response is to want to get back to normal (rigidly). “If things could go back to how they were before that would be great.” Often that is not possible, or even preferable. The other alternative is to just let change happen and have it take us in any random direction. Stulberg argues that, when approached with the right attitude and mindset, any change can be used as a springboard towards productive growth. He lays out various principles and practical approaches in the book that zooms in on the how-to.
That sounds simple enough, almost romantic, yet in many cases it is immensely unsettling. These times of limbo or “liminal”, in-between spaces that Pierre refers to are daunting times to live through. But by their very definition, they are transitory. These uncertain times don’t last forever. What they do provide is an opportunity – a chance to hark back to what you once knew or an opportunity for rising anew.
I always find it cool when similar messages seam to appear from different directions. It’s usually a sign that I need to pay attention to it. If you found it useful please share it with someone who could benefit from it.
If you are having a difficult time trying to stay in your own lane and set healthy habits to avoid the downside of comparison, get in touch. You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
