Don’t Waste a Transition
How Leaders Navigate Change Well
“It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive.”
Why Transitions Matter More Than We Think
We are all aware that transitions are a part of life. Sometimes we choose them, but often we are forced to grapple with a change that we didn’t ask for or initiate. Either way, a transition creates an opportunity - if we can see the bigger picture.
And if you are a leader, the way you move through a transition can create positive momentum for your team or it can create resistance and stall progress. While it may be easy to solve the technical aspects, the more profound work is tending to the internal journey that accompanies any transition. If we skip the emotional, spiritual, and identity-level work, we invite resistance and miss the chance to reap a bigger reward - transformation.
“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
If you are currently facing a transition, it's not too late to change your approach. At Mirador Leaders we believe that good leadership starts with gaining the right perspective - a mirador is a balcony. On the balcony we embrace the bigger picture which includes the internal journey. We can move further faster with greater health.
No one understood this better than author William Bridges. His framework—Endings, the Neutral Zone, and Beginnings—continues to be one of the most reliable maps I’ve used for navigating seasons of change in my work and personal life.
So let’s walk through his road map.
1. Endings: Easiest To Skip
Every transition starts with an ending. And the temptation is to get to a solution quickly. To solve the problem. To make it better now. Endings create instability and we want to get our footing so we can move forward.
But it’s not that simple. We tend to experience change - even good change - as loss. And when humans experience loss, we go through a period of mourning. We need to process what has happened and let go of what is gone. It may look different for each person, but it is important and takes time.
“Transitions are almost always signs of growth, but they can bring feelings of loss. To get somewhere new, we may have to leave somewhere else behind.”
And if we don’t name what is ending, and let it go in our own way, we will drag it into the next season. The grief you ignore becomes anxiety you need to manage. The identity you don’t release becomes hidden insecurity. The relationships you don’t close well become unnecessary tensions in the future.
In my coaching conversations, I see many skilled leaders who have tried to shortcut the loss embedded in an ending. Things don’t feel right and they are stuck.
A few questions to help you slow down long enough to end well:
What am I losing in this transition?
What expectations, roles, or identity markers am I leaving behind?
Who do I need to thank, bless, or close the loop with?
What emotions am I avoiding because they feel “inconvenient”?
This is the work that clears the runway for what comes next.
2. The Neutral Zone: The Place Of Transformation
Processing our endings can be a challenge, but the Neutral Zone takes it to another level. This is the uncomfortable “in-between space”. Something profound has shifted - you are no longer who you were, and not yet who you’ll be.
For leaders, it challenges our identity. We are exposed.
We don’t have answers.
We can’t control the timetable.
We can’t predict outcomes.
But Bridges argues that the Neutral Zone is where the deepest creativity, clarity, and identity formation occur—if we stay there long enough. And this can be hard because it feels unproductive and can seem like a waste of time. You find yourself staring at a wall. It’s hard to concentrate on anything specific. You feel lost. You don’t know when it will end.
“Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later.”
— Bob Goff
During Covid lockdowns leaders had to pivot, especially those whose business model involved gathering people in large numbers. There was no clear way forward. Something had to change, but it wasn’t apparent. And it was in this neutral zone space that the parklet was born, giving us the gift of eating great food outdoors.
It is easy to see why people avoid this part of the transition journey. You can:
Make premature decisions that address anxiety more than the actual problem.
Over-function to feel productive, rather than taking time to be reflective.
Find unhealthy ways to escape—busyness, distraction, or excuses to avoid the discomfort of unresolved decisions.
The only way through the Neutral Zone is to slow down long enough to listen deeply and get in touch with your center. To reorient yourself to what matters most. To reshape what you truly want, value, and trust.
The Neutral Zone isn’t a holding pattern. It’s a furnace of transformation.
3. Beginnings: The Part We Celebrate—And Often Sabotage
During a transition most of us are in a rush to get to the new thing. New beginnings feel exciting and hopeful - a fresh start and a clean slate. We gain structure and certainty which quells our anxiety and offers a new horizon of possibility.
But beginnings are fragile. A new opportunity becomes dissolutioning and disappointing when we overburden it with unrealistic expectations. I overheard one leader talking about their new enterprise solely by describing it against their old context. I thought, “It’s great to know that your new boss will be better than your last one, but is that the goal? What do you love about the new job?” Turns out this new role was short-lived for them.
You can sabotage a new beginning by:
Rushing into it without creating the inner space for new commitments and attachments
Bringing old patterns into new contexts
Expecting the new thing to “fix” the unresolved thing
Using it as an anxiety relief valve instead of thoughtfully building something new
A true beginning is about the alignment of who you are and where you are going, rather than simply having a place to land.
Are your values clear?
Have you named what matters most?
Are you stepping into this season from a grounded center rather than an anxious push?
The healthiest beginnings are birthed from well-processed endings and well-endured Neutral Zones.
A Final Word: You Don’t Have To Walk This Season Alone
Leadership often makes transitions feel lonely. You want to be strong and provide stability for people affected by your decisions and the transitions that come to them as a result. It can be hard to let your guard down and walk through your own transition journey.
But you don’t have to navigate this one on your own.
If you’re stepping into, through, or out of a transition—vocational, relational, organizational, or personal—we’d be honored to walk with you. Really. Whether you need clarity, emotional support, strategic discernment, or simply a companion who understands the weight you’re carrying, we’re here.
If you’re facing a transition we would love to walk with you. Let’s talk about your transition.
