This Too Shall Pass
I remember staring at myself in the mirror and saying, “Erik, this is a hard season. But this, too, will pass.”
At that moment in my career, I was questioning my competence to lead our team through a very difficult season. My work involved navigating some very complicated legal issues, which were causing major problems for our organization. People’s feelings were hurt. Fear and distrust were widespread. I really wanted to run. Every morning when the alarm clock went off, the dread of the day came rushing in ready to greet me. I lacked energy and motivation.
Wow, was that a hard season. Fortunately, that tough time did eventually pass. Thanks to the wisdom of a mentor, I came out of the circumstances a better leader. If only life was smooth sailing, a fluid and pain free experience. But that is not life…or leadership.
Ups and downs, joy and sorrow, good and bad times are all a part of the human experience.
These peaks and valleys are all part of the cycle of life. Up and down rhythms are not only true of life, but also for organizations. Some organizational scholars propose there are Five Phases of Organizational Life Cycles. The cycles include birth, growth, maturity, decline and renewal stages.
Leaders often find themselves stuck somewhere within one of the phases of their organization’s life cycle. If a leader is navigating a cycle that includes a hard season, they may be tempted to jump ship or run to the next organization. However, they may find themselves encountering the same set of problems the next place they go. Thus, it is important for a leader working through a hard season to reflect on what the current circumstances have to offer them in growth and development. Every cycle and season will eventually pass, as all things do.
One of our associates at Milestone Leadership, Andy Murray, describes purpose as a “built-from-the-center mosaic.”
Andy’s analogy is fitting for leaders who find themselves in a difficult period of time. Each season of leadership is like another piece of a mosaic that is being added to a bigger picture. The hard, jagged rough seasons may actually be contributing to a much bigger purpose in the total experience of a leader’s life.
If you or someone you know is in one of those hard seasons, the following questions may guide you back towards the wisdom Dr. Martin Luther King once offered, “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose hope.”
- In which current phase of the five life cycles would you describe your organization/division or department?
- What can you learn in your current season that you could not have learned in any other way?
- What reasons do you have to be hopeful in your current season of leadership?
- How will this current season make you a better leader?
- Who can provide you with a perspective that is different than your own?
Our mission at Milestone Leadership is to Build Leaders Worth Following.
Experience has taught us that well-built leaders successfully navigate the different seasons and cycles of organizational life. In some cases, these leaders have partnered with an executive coach to support them on their journey. At Milestone Leadership we have an assortment of quality executive coaches who are passionate about supporting leadership growth. If you or someone you know is looking for executive coaching, we invite you to learn about our effective coaching process and solid individual development plans.
Erik Dees, PhD is a partner with Milestone Leadership. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
