Unpack the Boxes and Learn to Lead Yourself

Change is hard. When we are making changes in our individual lives, or in an organization, it can be deeply challenging to navigate all that comes with change; even changes we know are for the best and bring joy or hope can be hard to navigate. Every change we encounter requires that we navigate a loss. Even when the change is for the best, we are letting go of something familiar, a pattern we have relied on, coping mechanisms we have used in the past – just to name a few. 

moving boxes labelled "kitchen" sit on a couch near a window

My family and I (Edie) are in the midst of a lot of change; due to employment opportunities we have moved to a new state, new jobs, and a new time zone (that time zone may be the hardest). We are hopeful about these decisions and opportunities in front of us; but we left behind family, friends, neighbors, a home and a church we loved. We have become unmoored for a time, as we unpack the boxes, decide where pictures should hang and learn to work in new ways, I am particularly aware of just how much energy, effort and intentionality it takes to show up in different ways and learn new skills. As we set down new roots we are learning to navigate our world in new ways. 

Organizations and churches are a lot like people; probably because they are full of and run by people; change can be challenging. It can push us, require intentionality, a slowing down to notice what is going on around us. Change can be fraught with emotions and every person in the organization brings their own experiences, hopes and fears to the work of change. 

One tool I have relied on in the midst of our changes, that we use regularly in Churches Learning Change is skills in a tool box we call “Leading Yourself.” Effective leaders must begin with their ability to notice and lead themselves, particularly in the midst of change. I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my own needs and seeking healthy ways to ask for help in this time. I have leaned on my established support systems to help me think more clearly, listen to my complaints, and cheer me on. I have worked hard to set boundaries for myself; to only do what I can do and not set expectations higher than is healthy. These are just a few of the tools I have been using to navigate this new reality.

These tools are things I have been practicing in various ways for many years as a Churches Learning Change learner, but they have taken on a new meaning and necessity as I have navigated so much change in my own life. The tools of CLC make a difference not only in organizational leadership but at home, in my own life. Maybe you are navigating change in your organization or your life as well, we would like to invite you to engage with us, allow us help build your tool box to use in the midst of change.