Decided to move this from a comment to a post and broaden the challenge to the team. Hudson uses a framework for transition called "hold on, let go, take on to move on." So here's the request--what do you have to hold on to, let go of, and take on to facilitate the transition from me to Janice?
Personally, I am aware of so many things and have had an avalanche of emotion in the last week regarding the topic. "Holding on" refers to core strengths, values and accomplishments to honor. Transitions are times when we can view our core strengths and CHOOSE what to carry forward. I want to hold on to my ability to vision, my creativity, productivity, interest in developing others and my commitment to making a difference. I also want to hold on to what I've accomplished at EY. A coach recently asked me what I needed to do to leave a legacy before May 2012. I told him that I was content with my current legacy and I am! I want to hold on to my relationships at EY--one of the things I am very afraid of losing. I want to let go of my crazy schedule, my alarm clock and most of my "big girl" clothes. Don't be surprised when you see me post EY if I am wearing boots and big earrings. I need to take on broader interests and skills. I want to let it be ok to not be perfect, to get messy with my art, to be a beginner again.
More to come.
What you've discussed here is interesting and I feel something that can have a tremendous impact to the transition not only for yourself but the whole team. I think what I, as well as others, have to hold onto is your friendship and regard for you as a teacher who has made a tremendous impact on our lives. That stays with us forever. However at the same time, I need to balance that with the fact that at some point in the near future you will have moved onto another stage in your life and a different role. We can't let "holding onto you" get in the way of Janice coming into the role -- it wouldn't be fair to her, it wouldn't give her a chance to make the role her own and take the team to the next level or phase of what we need to accomplish. So the relationship has to be transformed. Reminds me of a saying I once heard about something that was difficult and yet beautiful. Just when the caterpillar thought it's life was over it became a butterfly.
ReplyDeleteAnother "let go"--I have a feeling this is a series! As I've worked with retiring partners, some struggled with a loss of identity. One partner (not EY) even continued to sign his email "retired partner of X" for a long time. I hate to admit it, but my judgment was "pitifully sad". You all know me well enough to know that there's no attachment to status. (You might even ask, "what status?") So it's certainly not that part of my identity that I will need to let go of. It's the working woman, intellectually engaged, having a purpose, helping others...inside EY...that I will have to replace as all that is how I currently define myself. It's going to take some thinking to figure out how I do those things outside of EY. I may need to be coached!
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