Leaders in Transition or Crisis
I work with business professionals and leaders at a crossroads who want to change their existing reality. Something for them has shifted and the workplace isn’t working for them any longer. It might be new leadership or a recent headbutt with a boss. Or the weight of not feeling challenged or lack of recognition. It might be a relentless drive to succeed or move up--followed by the intuition that a transition is needed. Whatever the issue, if not addressed, it can turn into a feeling of desperation or crisis. At the very least, it is a gnawing problem because it goes unsolved for far.too.long. It can be hard to face the weight of a long-term change--and develop the strategies to cope in the short-term--alone.
Leaders in transition or crisis often need more than a “career coach.” They’re facing decisions about moving up or moving out and wanting to take a holistic view at their complex situations and options. They need a creative partner to help strategize not only “their next move” but all the little steps in between to get to their genius zone.
What does “transition” mean?
When my clients say “transition,” they mean one of the following:
- “I want to make the leap from a corporate job to entrepreneurship.”
- “I need to leave my company NOW.”
- “I need to make a major shift in what I am doing/leave my industry.”
Each of these situations comes with its own set of unanswered questions and fears. In a Creative Partnering™ Engagement, together we find answers and create forward momentum to transition out of what is not working and into something that will bring more overall satisfaction.
Case Study:
Making the Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneurship
Making the leap to entrepreneurship means having a plan and the right kind of support. Some clients have “side businesses” in addition to their “day jobs” and are now feeling the pull to step fully into those businesses.
Some clients have big ideas and are not ready to make the leap; they want to launch their business on the side. They recognize the need to set themselves up for success. They believe anything worth doing is worth doing well.
Others are ready mentally to make the leap to full-time entrepreneurship but perhaps not financially (or emotionally/energetically). Knowing they have responsibilities, they need an “exit plan” from their corporate jobs. They need to know what they might expect, what they absolutely must do and what they can let slide, and how they are going to bring their idea to life--exactly.
Entrepreneurs who have true partners (co-founders) have each other to work through a lot of this together. But when you are the sole founder of your business, you can feel like you go around and around without moving forward. Having a creative partner is like the “ad hoc co-founder” of your business in the sense that I am equally invested in your success. The only difference is you still have 100% control of the business and the decisions. Essentially, you have all the benefits of a partner without having to compromise.
Sometimes clients find themselves trying to navigate a toxic work environment and having to develop short-term strategies for coping. It can feel like a complete crisis, with so much at stake. And while they’re trying to stay sane and perform in the interim, they’re also looking for long-term solutions so they can regain a sense of fulfillment at work. Trying to do all this alone can feel like the walls are closing in.
If you’ve found yourself in this position--whether it happened overnight or a storm has been brewing and you are at your max--friends, family, and close professional contacts are sympathetic (and maybe even empathetic), wanting the best for you. They aren’t always equipped to help you overcome the situation, though. For that, you need a creative partner who will roll up their sleeves and strategize with you based on a thorough understanding of the power dynamics, the culture, and your strengths. Together, we can make today bearable and tomorrow more aligned with your idea of success.
All of our clients want to see some change; some clients aren’t sure at all what that looks like. And that’s OK.
Having the awareness that a change is needed and not knowing what the first step to change is can be frustrating. Who helps you to figure it all out? To weigh all the options based on an in-depth understanding of who you are? A creative partner, of course!
I ask great questions, look at your strengths, and come up with the options that are best suited to who you are--and who you want to be. We figure it out together.
In Summary...
In all these transitional or crisis situations, we co-create success strategies so that you can make better decisions with newfound clarity and confidence—and create the change you’re longing for. Bottom line? I guide leaders like you to embrace their authentic strengths and achieve a sense of wholeness so that they are able to raise the bar on their own successes.
Ready?
Are you ready to explore the possibilities of a Creative Partnering™ Engagement?
Schedule a call to get answers to your burning questions and describe where you are as a leader.