Uncertain times abound, and as a result many of us are enduring a prolonged separation from our normal ways of being and doing. We are having liminal experiences, in other words — experiences that represent a break from the familiar but that don’t fully replace it. The protracted uncertainty that comes with living in liminal times can cause leaders and employees alike to feel unsettled or anxious, but the authors of this article remind us that we have more agency during these times than we might realize. They offer guidance on how to not only survive such periods but also embrace them as a time for reflection and learning.
Right now, many of us feel suspended between what once was and what is yet to come. In the United States, this sense of extended uncertainty reflects the protracted presidential-election process, with consequences that are felt in countries all around the world. But the issue is even bigger: Uncertain times abound, in our organizations and in our society, and as a result many of us are having what are known as liminal experiences.
