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Are you a Leaver? Are any of your team members leaving, beginning a transition to a new school?
My family are Leavers. After 11 years in Hong Kong, and a total of 25 years in China, we will be moving to Japan. We are very excited about our move to Kobe, Japan, where my wife has accepted a job at the Canadian Academy. Admittedly, it is very difficult to give our full attention to our ‘Hong Kong’ responsibilities (teaching, consulting, parenting, marital, etc).
But, before we can fully transition as Arrivers in Kobe and fully embrace all the wonderful and new experiences that await us, we must successfully transition as Leavers. We must also keep in mind how our departure will affect the Stayers, a few of whom have experienced a great deal of loss since the pandemic. We must also be mindful that our children’s transition experience won’t be the same as ours and requires are undivided attention.
As a leader, we have a responsibility to ensure everyone has a healthy transition, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because transitions negatively influence teaching and learning. Transitions are very consuming, both cognitively and emotionally, and not just for those ‘in transition’. As leaders we have an incredible amount of influence over how colleagues transition in and out of our communities.
A good friend and transitions care expert, Doug Ota, taught me, as well as tens of thousands of others, that:
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