April | Transitions

Good leaders react quickly when things change.

Great leaders reflect, check-in, and choose how to respond to change.

Spring is springing for us here in Southern Ontario — it’s trying to at least! It’s that awkward time of year when one day it might be sunny and 15C, the next it could be -2C and snowing. During this transition, you will undoubtedly see someone bundled up in a bulky winter coat standing right next to someone in a t-shirt and shorts. It’s fascinating how differently everyone reacts during times of transition.

Transitions are happening all the time. A project launches, a project completes. Someone joins the team, someone leaves the team. Everyone experiencing these transitions has different reactions and needs — and whether we acknowledge it or not, it’s impacting how we work. So how do we, as leaders, navigate these transitions in a way that both builds trust and keeps the team moving forward? It starts with your awareness.

• Have you stopped to pay attention to the shifts happening on your team right now?
• Have you checked in on how you and/or your team is feeling about these shifts?
• Do you have an idea of what is needed next for everyone to succeed?

Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers. You can take just one step today. Below you will find a few reflection questions to get you started. Transitions can be awkward and confusing, but with a regular reflection practice, you can begin to lead your team from a place of clarity.

Journal Prompts

Take 5 minutes right now to reflect on these questions and jot down what’s top of mind!

1. What has changed on the team or in the organization since last quarter?

1. 1. How do I feel about this change?
   2. What am I noticing about my team’s response to the current changes?
   3. What is one question I will add to my 1:1’s to find out more about how the team is doing?

Listen & Learn

This Month’s Can’t-Miss Podcast

Coaching for Leaders: Engaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy

This episode explores the critical importance of emotion in the change process. It details some of the key places where leaders often miss opportunities to prioritize employee well-being. It also shares some practical steps leaders can take to help employees better recognize signal emotions so they can eventually find opportunity and choice during the change process.

What’s On Repeat

Songs We Can’t Get Enough Of:

These are the songs we can’t get enough of this month and will be added to a Leaders @ Scale playlist you will be able to access soon!

“I Can See Clearly Now” Jimmy Cliff

“Here Comes the Sun” The Beatles

“It’s Gonna be Me (May)” N’Sync

About this edition’s author:

Miranda Donald is a certified professional coach whose current work focuses on cohort-based learning and group facilitation in the area of leadership development. She believes that everyone has the capacity for excellence and leaders with a coaching mindset are able to draw out that excellence. Miranda is currently living in downtown Toronto but she and her husband, Mike, often head out of town to take their endlessly energetic dog, Frank, for a hike!