One of the most important leadership roles during times of change is that of putting into words what it is time to leave behind.
William Bridges, Susan Bridges in Managing Transitions
Managing Transitions
Highlight from ‘Managing Transitions’ by William Bridges, Susan Bridges
People seem to “overreact” to a change when they are reacting more than we are. But when we think that way, we overlook two things: first, that changes cause transitions, which cause losses, and it is the losses, not the changes, that they’re reacting to; and second, that it’s a piece of their world that is being lost, not a piece of ours, and we often react that way ourselves when it’s part of our own world that is being lost. Being reasonable is much easier if you have little or nothing at stake.
William Bridges, Susan Bridges in Managing Transitions
Highlight from ‘Managing Transitions’ by William Bridges, Susan Bridges
The failure to identify and get ready for endings and losses is the largest difficulty for people in transition. And the failure to provide help with endings and losses leads to more problems for organizations in transition than anything else.
William Bridges, Susan Bridges in Managing Transitions
Highlight from ‘Managing Transitions’ by William Bridges, Susan Bridges
People can deal with a lot of change if it is coherent and part of a larger whole. But adding unrelated and unexpected changes, even small ones, can push people to the breaking point.
William Bridges, Susan Bridges in Managing Transitions
Highlight from ‘Managing Transitions’ by William Bridges, Susan Bridges
There is always something provisional about a decision to stop doing something until you have actually replaced it with something else. A new beginning “ratifies” the ending.
William Bridges, Susan Bridges in Managing Transitions
Highlight from ‘Managing Transitions’ by William Bridges, Susan Bridges
You may discover that people have trouble understanding the purpose because they do not have a realistic idea of where the organization really stands and what its problems are. In that case, you need to “sell the problems” before you try to sell a solution to those problems. If that wasn’t done during the ending phase—when it should have been done—now is the time to provide answers to these questions: What is the problem? What is the situation that requires this change to solve it? Who says so, and on what evidence? What would occur if no one acted to solve this problem? And what would happen to us if that occurred?
William Bridges, Susan Bridges in Managing Transitions