My last post focused on repurposing your work life. It reviewed the major and secondary work modification options available for moving forward toward the next phase of your life, but at the same time being focused in a different direction. Now, let’s take a look at successful transitions.
A transition is a process that, as William Bridges states, “starts with letting go of what no loner fits or is adequate to the life stage you are in.” It is an internal issue—like a belief, a perspective of yourself, a priority, or a viewpoint of your world. A work-life transition concludes when you take action, such as to leave a job, make a career shift, or rebundle your skills and expertise.
Successful work and career transitions start with maintaining realistic and positive outlooks. Each day, take one step at a time, continually refining the transition process and strategies to meet your specific needs and plan of action.
Do not be discouraged or upset when unpredictable things happen. Instead, be open to unexpected opportunities that arise or new possibilities that people suggest. Thinking outside of the box, taking calculated risks, and going with your “gut-level” feeling can lead you through a transition more easily, smoothly, and with less pain than you can imagine.
Two Basic Strategies
Strategies for accomplishing an effective transition start with writing a focused and clear vision or mission statement for making changes in your work life—resulting in more meaningful experiences and improved outcomes. The statement should integrate realistic expectations of achievement with some of your “What if?” ideal work environment and job prospects.
This is the basis for creating an action plan with measurable milestones and a timetable for your transition process. Self-assessment is another key basic strategy to reaffirm career and professional interests, priorities, skills, and values. This enables you to communicate effectively your thoughts and ideas, and to seek help with undergoing a transition.
Bottom line: Knowing yourself and your strengths enables you to be more decisive and to accept possibilities when a door opens—so you can begin a new work challenge.
Enhancing Strategies
As a senior-level L&D professional, you may be thinking: What’s next for me? That’s okay. You are starting the search for new and different ways to experience life—more specifically your work arena. This is merely the start of ending one career pathway, the beginning of a new career journey, and the initiation of the transition process.
What are some of the steps or actions you can take to exit transitioning successfully?
- Take charge: Manage your transition as another career change that you are looking forward to experience. See yourself as flexible, willing to risk, adaptable, and open to exploration.
- Understand transition as movement: Consider your change as a series of events and the transition as advancing steps to the other conclusion..
- Embrace the change: The challenge is to work with the change, not against it to create the path thru the transition and achieve your next work stage.
- Develop a support team: Identify people from your family, co-workers, and your network who you can ask advice, will act as a sounding board for your ideas, and encourage you as you make the change happen by moving thru the transition.
As the transition ends, you launch your new beginning—the reinvention of yourself and the development of a new direction for your L&D work have begun. Good luck wherever the next stage of your work life may take you.
