Leadership development is often portrayed as a linear journey, with the goal of gaining skills, assuming responsibilities, and confidently steering teams toward success. One of this journey’s most critical and transformative stages is the liminal leadership phase, which is less straightforward. This phase, derived from the “liminality,” refers to a transitional space where emerging leaders find themselves between their old identity as followers or individual contributors and their new role as effective leaders.
Understanding the Liminal Leadership Phase
Liminality, originally an anthropological term, describes the in-between stage of a rite of passage when individuals are no longer who they were but have not fully become who they are meant to be. Applied to leadership, this phase occurs when fledgling leaders step into new roles that challenge their existing knowledge, behaviors, and assumptions. They stand at a crossroads, caught between what they once were and the leadership identity they must cultivate.
This stage is frequently characterized by ambiguity, discomfort, and uncertainty. New leaders could have self-doubt, mistrust their skills, and struggle with their teams’ and organizations’ expectations. They must rethink how they interact, influence, and make decisions since the clarity they had in their prior employment is replaced by a veil of “not knowing.”
The Impact on Emerging Leaders
The liminal phase is a critical developmental window with profound implications:
- Identity Transformation: Emerging leaders are forced to reconsider how they see themselves. They must go from doing things on their own to facilitating the success of others, from doing to leading. It is not an automatic transformation. Adopting new mindsets like empathy, strategic thinking, and delegation requires reflection and deliberate effort.
- Emotional Turbulence: The ambiguity inherent in this phase can trigger stress, anxiety, and a fear of failure. Without adequate support, emerging leaders may become paralyzed by indecision or revert to old habits that no longer serve their new role. Recognizing and normalizing these feelings is essential for growth.
- Learning Through Experimentation: Because clear answers are rare in this phase, fledgling leaders learn primarily through trial, error, and reflection. The liminal phase fosters adaptability, resilience, and creative problem-solving, qualities that form the backbone of effective leadership.
- Shifting Relationships: The dynamic between new leaders and their peers, supervisors, and direct reports evolves. Navigating this relational complexity requires emotional intelligence and communication skills, both developing during this transitional phase.
Supporting Leaders Through Liminality
Organizations that comprehend the liminal leadership phase can better develop emerging leaders by offering opportunities for reflective practice, safe spaces for experimentation, and mentorship. Leaders who receive this kind of support often grow more quickly, gain self-assurance, and establish a genuine and successful leadership style.
The liminal leadership phase is a potent but sometimes disregarded period in leadership development. It stands for the juncture at which aspiring leaders must negotiate ambiguity, change who they are, and discover fresh approaches to motivating and directing people. Leaders and organizations can unleash more potential and cultivate a culture of continual growth by accepting this phase as a normal and necessary process.
