Editor's note:
Last month's issue of Coaching Link talked about successfully leading change by taking the time to understand the three stages of transition. This issue maintains the focus on change by sharing an article I wrote last year as a contributor to "…ING - Life in Action," a book of writings by colleagues from The Pyramid Resource Group (one of the premier corporate coaching firms in the country) that focuses on ways in which people set their lives in motion. Enjoy!

CHANGING

I love the Fall. It’s my absolute favorite season. I was born in the Fall, married in the Fall, and my favorite colors are the golden oranges and warm reds of Fall. We vacation every October in the Ozarks of Missouri where we immerse ourselves in the sights, sounds and smells of Fall. Fall wakes us out of our summer malaise and provides us a time to transition into winter. We break out our favorite sweatshirts and burrow under an extra blanket at night. It’s mother nature’s way of reminding me of the beauty that resides in change. And the cycle of the seasons is one of the best ways for me to gain perspective on the cycles of change.

The seasons are the ultimate metaphor for changing. Fall is the precursor to nature’s period of energy restoration in preparation for the burst of spring. With the growth of spring, there is a building process that adds to the foundational growth that occurred in previous seasons and expands upward. As humans on this planet, we have woven all kinds of references to change into our language. Changing of the guard. The only constant is change. Managing change. Change agent. Resistance to change. Change is inevitable. Change or die. The seasons of change. There is truth and value in all of these statements. More than ever before change is a ubiquitous aspect of our individual and organizational lives. And we’re changing at a breakneck speed.

Change brings many gifts. Some fun and adventurous, some not always so fun. There are unpleasant extremes to the seasons, like the heat waves of summer, or the seemingly endless freeze in the dead of winter. There are also extended periods of beauty in each season. In our lives, we experience the cycles of change in a way that is similar to the cycles of the seasons. Sometimes exhilarating and beautiful, sometimes just downright difficult. We cycle through our own seasonal highs and lows during alternating periods of restoration, sprouting, growth, transitioning and pruning. And we move through these cycles in an iterative and organic kind of way. Kind of like the seasons. Some seasons more glorious than the last. Others more challenging than the last.

Coaching is a powerful tool for navigating the many facets of change. Whether crafting ever changing business models or maximizing personal transitions, coaching is about building, evolving, expanding and successfully maneuvering through the seasons of change.

I once had a client who led an organization that was located at the epicenter of competing system and environmental forces and political agendas at multiple levels. She and her organization endured and thrived through extended periods of whitewater change. As her world was changing, coaching provided a haven to clarify her thoughts, harvest the opportunities in change and limit the amount of organizational drag induced by change. Through coaching, she maintained the ability to stay clear and focused, and be true to her sense of personal and organizational purpose. She learned to survive sudden and unexpected changes in her environment by utilizing coaching as an anti whiplash device. She led purposefully, thoughtfully and effectively. And she elegantly weathered the seasons of change.

Another former client is an entrepreneur who has the midas touch. He possesses a powerful combination of energy, charisma, integrity, and grit that has allowed him to build his company into an area brand name in just a few years. Some unexpected and unpleasant change happened in the past year. A series of uncontrollable surprises with key customers. Significant cost overruns. And the discovery that a once trusted partner was stealing from him. He lost focus as he shifted into damage control, and sustained challenges that would have shut down other like businesses. He used coaching as a tool to harness his energy, help him focus on building his business instead of getting stuck in the weeds, and make decisions based on strategy rather than adrenaline and chaos. He used coaching as a vehicle for riding through the seasons and changing in a way that allowed him to emerge stronger than ever.

Changing is supported by coaching in many ways. Through coaching, perspectives are expanded. Individuals in positions of leadership and influence gain higher levels of awareness and consciousness. Coaching supports managers who transition into leadership roles with greater impact. And coaching is a magnificent tool for expanding styles of leadership to best accomplish strategic objectives. In coaching partnerships, leaders tap into their own potential and use that in a way that works best for them as they nimbly adapt to ever changing business environments. Coaching is the ultimate catalyst for change, yet it allows the client to drive the agenda for changing. Coaching is as varied and flexible as the seasons and can be adapted to facilitate whatever change the client faces.

Over the years, I’ve come to view change as a precious gift. Just like the seasons, it’s my opportunity to transition, sprout, grow and evolve. I often find myself seeking out change in order to avoid boredom or reduce the risk of getting stale. Other times, I think I’m a change junkie, and just want to sit still and stop changing. But I can’t, and probably never will. Because for me, the joy and the adventure in life is all about change. The thrill is the evolving journey. For me, change can be exhilarating. And coaching is a powerful modality for ensuring that people and organizations maximize the value of change.

What changes are you facing this season? How will you ensure that whatever change lies ahead will best serve you or your business? Now is the time to consider the opportunity in change and best position yourself to maximize the final months of the year and prepare for the best possible 2008.

If you or your organization are facing change, or if you are simply curious about how coaching can help facilitate meaningful change, drop me an e-mail at tim@linkresourcegroup.net, or visit my website at www.linkresourcegroup.net.