WHEN TRANSITIONS GO RIGHT
CHANGE AND TRANSITION ARE NOT THE SAME THING
By Dennis Easter
UNDERSTANDING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN CHANGE AND TRANSITION IS KEY TO SEEING A SUSTAINABLE , TRANSFORMATIONAL OUTCOME .
F or most people , the terms “ change ” and
“ transition ” are used interchangeably . However , the distinction between these two terms makes all the difference in a sustainable , transformational outcome .
Change is usually an event , something you can typically point to on your calendar . New job , lost job , bought a house , new baby or loss of a loved one . Sometimes we see them coming , but often they come unannounced and are forced upon us . The direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic is an illustration of what change looks like .
Transition , on the other hand , is the more nuanced process that we go through when faced with change . It is an inward journey where we move from the old to the new . It does not happen all at once , and the timeline , while having predictable phases , is shaped by our individual responsiveness . The key is that until one transitions from the old to the new , change will not happen .
William Bridges , in his book Transitions : Making Sense of Life ’ s Changes , states : “ Transition ... is psychological ; it is a threephase process that people go through as they internalize and come to terms with the details of the new situation that the change brings about .”
Those three phases are : Ending , Exploring and Engaging . Ending is where you are losing something and learning to let go . It comes with a sense of loss and grieving . Exploring is where you are in that in-between period of letting go and picking up on something new . The old is gone but the new isn ’ t completely formed , so
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