First thing on Tuesday I found myself sadly penning an email I wasn’t expecting to be writing.

It felt important to …

… write and yet I wasn’t quite sure how to start.
… express emotion but with a client that’s always a bit harder. (After all I’m normally in service of … their emotions, not the other way around).
… stay positive and so I needed to prioritise that in my day. (I did it first).

It was, as it turned out, about my sense of closure.

I called it The End of an Era.

So, this blog is about endings, how good are you at endings?

I had received the news one of my favourite clients is making a strategic shift and as a result halting two of the fabulous programmes I’ve been helping them with for the last four years. It almost would have been easier if the business were concerned or in any way unhappy about the programmes, but that’s not the case. It’s an exciting new direction, they’re meeting a global shift for consistency and leaner resourcing and it’s impacting every part of their business, including learning. I’m a business person, I get it. It doesn’t stop it hurting through does it?

Often we close things off in our business world before our mind and body have time to work it through. In Gestalt language we’re talking about the importance of ‘closure’. It’s that investment in some essential things which allow us to engage positively in what is coming next.

My own sense of closure involved…

Sitting with the news overnight, without judgment – Give yourself a break, step away.
TIP. At times like this I find it easier not to talk to people about. People’s golden intent to support you often results in them telling you what’s bad or rubbish about what has just happened, which of course welcomes judgment.
Moving to reflecting about what has been good – Make time for appreciation, it will lift you and invite positivity.
Let new data emerge, it could be in the form of ideas or feelings about the separation.

At the end of an ending do try to ask yourself to notice the ‘white space’, don’t freak out, look for the resulting possibilities that it could bring.

If you’re working through an ending or avoiding one currently, stay ok, it’s part of how we survive in organisations, communities, relationships and I belief life.

About Jo in her own words:

‘I value self-awareness and advancement greatly and set up Elevate Associates in 2004 to serve people development in business through individual or team coaching and bespoke training programmes.
If you’re conscious and purposeful in what you do, you will achieve greater potential and be more fulfilled. It’s about connecting with what really matters for you, for the individuals you work with and of course for your business performance.
Clients tell me I am full of energy, generous with my knowledge and have a great ability to really connect to others when helping people learn. This shows up in abundance when I start the work of developing potential and performance of talent and leaders at all levels of the organisation. I feel privileged to work with everyone I connect with and I learn with every project I undertake’

You can contact her via:

Telephone: 01628 878340

Website: http://www.elevateassociates.co.uk