So You’re Stuck—Here’s One Thing That Always Helps

PART 3 OF 3

As I shared in the first post in this series, I recently spoke with an executive who expressed his frustration with how many people seemed passive in response to the organizational change effort they were working on.

This passivity, though, is pretty normal for most change efforts. And if it’s something we can accept and work with, we often find that the transformation itself moves a lot more smoothly.

In today’s post, I’m asking: what if you’ve decided to work with this kind of passive core that might be at the center of your transformation? What can you do with that? What are some things you can try?

If you’re feeling stuck—maybe wondering, “How might I change my strategy in light of this? How might I shape the environment, or even my own response and perspective?”—I want to offer a simple solution:

Find other people to talk to.

One of the most useful things I’ve found in my work as a change agent over the last two decades is spending time with other change agents. Whether they’re in the same organization or outside of it, talking to people with similar experiences helps me see different perspectives on how to approach these scenarios.

For me, the answer is almost always found in some kind of community. Usually, when I’m talking with others who do this kind of work, they notice something in the situation that I may have overlooked, or perhaps gotten a little too close to. They might offer a new perspective, a technique, or a different way of looking at things—something that unlocks new possibilities.

They also help me notice when I’m clinging too tightly to a particular outcome. When I step back and shift my view, I often find a new way to move forward.

That kind of reflection is really hard to do on your own—especially when you’re deeply invested in the success of your change effort.

That’s why I’m excited to be launching a new community called the Golden Bridge Collective. The Collective is a space for discussing the real, everyday challenges that change agents face—building support, sharing stories, exchanging perspectives, and offering peer-to-peer coaching opportunities.

One thing I’ve found to be consistently true—no matter the organization or the nature of the initiative—is this:

If I feel supported as a change agent, it’s so much easier to support others through change.

We’re still part of the change efforts we lead, and that means our work is uncertain, messy, and doesn’t have a clear path forward. That can make it hard to stay grounded and productive.

But when our environment includes support, alignment, and connection, that work becomes much more doable—and much more fulfilling.

So if you’re working on something big and feeling like you don’t have a robust community around you—or if you could simply use a little more support—consider joining us in the Golden Bridge Collective.

Click here to learn more. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at michelle@streamsidecoaching.com.