When my kids were small, one of their favorite Sesame Street songs queried, “It’s a rainy day, it’s a rainy day. It’s raining outside, and I can’t go out and play. Why do we need the rain, anyway?” The song then proceeds to list all the reasons the world needs rain. Basically, it refreshes, cleanses, nourishes, and makes new growth possible.
Recently, a client asked if we could skip the “Distancing” stage of the Team Clock® after he remembered some of the negative interactions that followed a leadership change. As he recalled, the team split into factions and didn’t play nice in the sandbox. When he stepped back and gained perspective, he realized this stage had value. Goals were recalibrated. New talent stepped up to fill gaps created by unexpected departures. Mission, values, and team culture were clarified and re-anchored.
There is a valuable reason for depletion to accompany loss. It slows the world down. It enables new perspective. It recharges the system with fresh energy. While it’s tempting to avoid the lull in team tempo, sustaining a full sprint without a break is impossible. The break has purpose. Like the result of a good night’s sleep, we begin the next day rejuvenated.
Growth and movement only happen when we embrace change. Saying goodbye to old ways is scary. Familiarity can provide comfort again once the new leader, the new teammates, the new expectations, the new organizational structure, the new location, or the new direction becomes clear. In the meantime, treasure your downtime.
