It’s a concept that I did not fully become aware of until well into my career. It was shared by a great friend, someone who I can always turn to for sage advice.
Liminal time are those moments, or months, or more, between what was and what will be. What has been will not be coming back. What will be has yet to be revealed.
It takes different forms: that last semester of college before you enter the ‘real world,’ a job search, a government funding freeze, the threat of layoffs, anticipating a new leader, following policy debates, or waiting to draw down grant funds again, among many more examples in our lives.
For me liminal time is unsettling. There is an unease. That sense of unknowingness doesn’t sit well. Maybe with you also? I am told to relax and reflect, be patient and preserve, or contemplate and consent to the waiting.
What I’ve come to understand, thou, is that among the many things that liminal time is, and for many of us we are amidst right now, liminal time is a gift. A gift of time that so many of us desire. And a gift that needs to be cherished by being well used.
During this liminal time as we await what comes next, I encourage you to:
Care. For your staff, your organization, your family, your friends, and even (or especially!) for yourself. These are times that are unlike any other and we need to ensure that we emerge from them well with the power to lead into the future. Tend to your wellbeing, strengthen your relationships, and don’t let PTO balances pile up.
Prepare. Some will disagree with me, but this is not a time of just waiting. It’s a time of action, a time of preparation. It’s an important time to invest in your team and your board to ensure they are operating at peak performance. Review your core values and strategic plans. Update them so they can guide you through the current liminal time and into what lies ahead.
Dare. There is one certain reality: the future will be different. Health care delivery and financing will change. The work of nonprofits will be altered. The quest to eliminate disparities will be changed. This is the time for you to define what that will look like. Is there a new program or direction for your organization? What opportunities will present themselves to you. Are you ready to take them on? Don’t let the realities of today limit the possibilities of tomorrow. Have the future be something that you do and create rather than something done to you or created for you.
The gift of time – even liminal time – is so precious, let’s use it well. How will you?
Reach out today! (414) 899-8485 or mike@mikegiffordconsulting.com
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