Meet You In The Middle
I was leaving work the other day and a colleague I adore walked out with me and said, “Have a good night Lauren. Thanks for continuing to show up.”
As I got in the car feeling weary and lost in thought on all the things that would continue to fill my to-do list the next day, all the people I desired to follow up with and check in on, and reflections of things I would do differently tomorrow, her comment gave me perspective. It reminded me that this is the hard work of leading and transforming. Showing up every day even when transformation seems really far away.
The stories of success we may read often paint a picture of hard starts turned into whopping triumphs. I can think of one recently I read about a principal who came into an underprivileged school and turned it around in 3 years.
What doesn’t always show up in the fine print of these stories is all the muck in the middle. The muck that threatens to suck us in, rob us of joy and perspective, and tell us it’s not worth it and we are not equipped.
The muck in the middle requires immense amounts of reflection, learning, and growing. It requires us to battle self- doubt, personal and public ridicule, and a struggle for balance. It’s where our courage and tenacity are truly tested.
The muck in the middle involves hard, critical, and necessary conversations with people you love and serve. It requires “reorganizing relationships” from congenial to functional and honest.
Showing up in the middle is the hardest part of transformation. It’s here that the most growth and joy are made possible. It’s where we learn the most about who we serve. It’s where our life’s purpose and how committed we are to seeing it through is put to the greatest test.
Some middles are long and some more brief. Nothing inspires me more than leaders who are willing to stand and battle in the middle. In the muck. In the mess. I have met so many there that have helped me to keep showing up.
Fellow leaders and friends on the path to transformation, I cannot wait to meet you in the middle.