It's Messy in the Middle

Leadership GLUE: Tip # 9

[Leadership EQ] Getting started is always the easy part. It’s the middle that gets messy. Take the beginning of a new year, for example. Business Owners usually have their strategic plans in place, their resources budgeted, their goals set…they are ready to go.

But even now, not even two weeks in, some people are telling me they feel like 2021 was months ago. And they’re starting to feel a little deflated, stalled, and not so thrilled about this new year as they thought.

The messy middle is a feeling we all go through and it’s charted by Kelley and Connors in their Emotional Cycle of Change. 

As you see in the graphic below, we all start with on a high note, full of optimism and hope, only to quickly slide into Informed Pessimism as we face the challenge of getting momentum going on our project. 

This pessimism deepens as we struggle through normal start-up issues and we find ourselves in the Valley of Despair. 

This is the Messy Middle at its worst. It’s a “make or break” time and requires Emotional IQ to “Stay Calm & Carry On.” There are better days ahead if you, the Leader, remain calm and committed to your plan.

Our Leadership GLUE Program will help you stay calm, weather the storm, and find your way back up through Informed Optimism to Success and Fulfillment. When you’re ready, book a call here to chat about Leadership GLUE: https://calendly.com/kaewagner/leadershipglue