E is for Endings: The Leadership Skill No One Talks About.

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Attributed to Seneca.

Endings are inevitable - roles change, teams evolve, strategies pivot. Yet most leadership teams avoid them. The result? Lingering resentment, unclear transitions, and missed opportunities for renewal.

Research in organisational psychology shows that well-managed endings foster resilience, clarity, and trust.

We worked with a CEO navigating a major restructure. By naming what was ending, not just operationally, but emotionally, they created space for grief, gratitude, and growth. The team didn’t just survive the transition, they emerged stronger.

Actionable Insight:

• Name the ending: What’s truly over, what have we lost and what does that mean?

  
  

• Honour contributions - rituals matter.  Let people leave with respect.

  
  

• Create a “transition roadmap” to guide what’s next.

Why it matters: Endings are not failures. They’re thresholds. When leaders navigate them with intention, they unlock renewal.

Bridges, W. (2004). Transitions: Making sense of life’s changes. Da Capo Press.  Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science. Harper & Row.