Change Isn't A Solo Sport (Even For High Performers)

Explore why your greatest changes demand collective wisdom - and the simple framework successful leaders use to harness it.

What you'll learn:

• Why trying to "power through" any significant change alone - whether personal or organizational - sabotages your chances of success (and how to build your change team instead)

• How to identify and activate the hidden support system that's already available for your 2025 transitions

• A proven framework for mapping collective change that works whether you're changing careers or transforming an organization

The Story: When Recognition Forces Rethinking Last November, I received an unexpected flood of messages from veteran coaches about an essay I'd written years ago on transitions versus transformations. The piece had found its way into the "Navigating Transitions Coach Certification" at the Modern Elder Academy. One coach's message particularly struck me: "Your framework finally helped me understand why some of my most capable clients - CEOs, founders, high performers - often struggle with change. They're trying to do alone what can only be done together."

At the time, I was going through an advanced team coaching certification, pondering the nature of group change. This sparked a realization: In a world obsessed with individual performance, we've fundamentally misunderstood how significant change actually works - at every level.

The Insight: The River's Edge Change is like crossing a river - and the way most high performers approach it is equivalent to trying to forge ahead alone while others around them are crossing their own sections of the same river. No matter how strong you are, you're fighting the current instead of mastering it.

A decade of working with leaders has taught me something surprising: Even the most personal changes - career pivots, lifestyle transformations, identity shifts - succeed or fail not based on individual willpower but on our ability to recognize and activate the collective wisdom around us.

As we enter 2025, many of you are likely contemplating or embarking on significant changes. Whether you're transforming your organization or recommitting to personal growth, here's the key insight: There is no such thing as purely individual change. Every meaningful shift reverberates through our relationships, teams, and communities. The question isn't whether others are involved in your change - it's whether you intentionally leverage their wisdom and support.

Think of it this way — you might be crossing one of two types of rivers:

The Familiar Crossing (Transitions)

• You can see the other shore clearly

• The path looks straightforward, even if challenging

• You have tools and experience for this kind of crossing

• The water's behavior is predictable

• Others have crossed here before

In these waters, you need guides who've made the crossing before. Your task isn't to reinvent the wheel but to gather intelligence about the best paths and known challenges.

The Uncharted Waters (Transformations)

• The destination is shrouded in mist

• Traditional crossing methods might not work

• The currents are unpredictable

• You're venturing into unknown territory

• Few maps exist for these waters

Here, you need fellow explorers more than guides. Your task is to build a team that can adapt and learn together, pooling collective wisdom to navigate uncertainty.

The key insight? High performers often try to cross both types of rivers alone - but the most successful ones build a crossing team suited to the waters ahead.

Your Quick Win: Map Your Personal Change Landscape Here's a framework I've used with hundreds of leaders to help them identify and activate their "change team" - even for seemingly personal transformations:

1. Name Your Waters (2 mins) Write down what kind of change you're experiencing in 2025. Is it a familiar crossing (clear goals, known tools) or uncharted waters (deep uncertainty, need for new approaches)?

2. Chart Your Course (3 mins) Draw your river and mark:

• Your current shore (present state)

• Your destination (desired outcome)

• What's visible from here

• What remains uncertain

3. Spot Your Fellow Travelers (2 mins) List everyone who's part of this crossing with you:

• Direct companions (family, close colleagues)

• Guide figures (mentors, coaches)

• Those affected by your crossing

• Unexpected allies (who else might be navigating similar waters?)

4. Map the Crossing Points (3 mins) Mark on your drawing:

• 🌊 Deep waters (major challenges)

• ⭐ Shallow spots (what feels manageable)

• 🌉 Support bridges (available resources)

• 💫 Current state (calm or turbulent?)

5. Share Your Map Choose one fellow traveler and share your map. Ask what they see that you might have missed. Their perspective might reveal the exact pathway you need.

Remember: The strongest leaders don't just cross rivers - they help build bridges for future crossings. And as we begin 2025, the quality of our changes will depend not on our individual strength but on our ability to tap into collective wisdom.

I'm curious: What waters are you planning to cross in 2025? And who might already be waiting to help you across?