Leadership Series

Leadership isn’t tested in clarity—it’s forged in uncertainty.

We all love a good leadership moment—vision casting, rallying the team, launching the big project. But what about the space between those moments?

The lull after a reorg but before stability. The time between launching a strategy and seeing it work. The stretch where old systems have been dismantled, but new ones haven’t yet taken root.

These periods are what anthropologists call liminal spaces—thresholds between one state and another. They are disorienting, often quiet, sometimes chaotic. But more than that—they are profoundly powerful.

Because the in-between doesn’t just test leadership. It reveals it.

What Are Liminal Spaces in Leadership?

The word “liminal” comes from the Latin limen, meaning “threshold.” In leadership, liminal spaces are the transitional periods where what was is no longer, and what will be has not yet solidified.

Common examples include:

  • After a merger or acquisition
  • Following the resignation or promotion of a key leader
  • During culture shifts or value realignments
  • Mid-launch of a major product or initiative
  • Post-crisis, when damage has been contained but recovery hasn’t arrived
  • When scaling from “start-up” to “structure”

These aren’t moments of failure or success. They’re moments of formation—and they require a different kind of leadership.

The Danger of Mishandling Liminality

Liminal spaces are often quiet, ambiguous, and filled with emotional tension. The danger isn’t that things explode—it’s that they erode:

  • Morale fades in the absence of direction
  • Cynicism spreads when uncertainty isn’t named
  • People fill silence with assumptions, often negative
  • Teams lose momentum without a clear next move

Leaders who don’t know how to navigate these spaces often try to rush through them, slap on premature clarity, or avoid the discomfort altogether.

But the greatest leaders understand something different:
Liminality is not a distraction from the work—it is the work.

Why Liminal Spaces Are Leadership Crucibles

Liminal spaces strip away the noise. They leave you with what’s essential:

  • Your presence
  • Your conviction
  • Your ability to hold paradox
  • Your capacity to lead through ambiguity, not around it

In these spaces, people don’t need perfect answers. They need stability, honesty, and hope. They need someone to say, “We’re not there yet—but we’re not lost.”

It’s not easy. But these are the seasons that forge leaders of depth, not just charisma.

How to Lead Effectively in Liminal Spaces

Here’s how wise leaders show up when clarity is scarce and stakes are high.

No. 1 — Name the Liminality

The fastest way to ease collective anxiety is to name the moment. Say what’s happening. Say what’s unknown. Say what’s still in process.

“We’re in a transition. We’ve dismantled the old system, and the new one is still being built. That’s okay. That’s part of real change.”

When leaders avoid acknowledging liminality, teams feel disoriented. But when you name it, you normalize it—and remove the shame from not having answers.

No. 2 — Lead With Emotional Transparency

Liminal periods aren’t just operational—they’re emotional. People are grieving what was, anxious about what’s coming, and unsure of where they stand.

The best leaders don’t perform certainty. They model grounded honesty.

“I feel the uncertainty too—but I’m committed to walking through it with you.”

This builds psychological safety, not just professional alignment.

No. 3 — Hold Structure Loosely, but Values Tightly

In liminal times, structures are often shifting—roles, org charts, roadmaps. What you can’t afford to shift is your values.

Now is the time to double down on:

  • How you treat people
  • How you make decisions
  • What your culture stands for

If you can keep values visible when structure is in flux, you give your team something firm to hold onto.

No. 4 — Create Small Anchors

In the absence of big wins or sweeping certainty, look for micro-stabilizers:

  • Weekly rituals or team huddles
  • Clarity on what is within control
  • Celebrating progress, not just milestones

These small moments signal: We are still moving forward. We are still a team. We are still grounded.

No. 5 — Practice Vision Without Pretending

Don’t over-promise clarity that doesn’t exist. Instead, cast vision rooted in possibility and presence:

“We don’t have all the answers—but here’s what we’re learning, here’s where we’re listening, and here’s where we’re heading together.”

People don’t need you to be perfect. They need you to be real, present, and anchored.

The Hidden Gifts of Liminal Seasons

If you embrace them, liminal spaces can become sacred ground. Why?

  • They force reflection. What should we keep? What needs to change?
  • They surface quiet leaders who rise when charisma fades.
  • They invite innovation, because the old playbook no longer applies.
  • They test whether your leadership is built on control—or trust.

Most of all, liminal seasons give teams the chance to become something new.

But only if you lead them through, not around, the fog.

Don’t Just Lead the Launch—Lead the Liminal

Anyone can lead in the spotlight. Anyone can deliver a keynote when the path is clear. But real leadership shows up in the hallway between doors.

When the next version of your company, your team, or your self hasn’t arrived yet. That’s where you build trust. That’s where you forge resilience. That’s where you become the kind of leader worth following.

So the next time you find yourself in the in-between—don’t rush it. Don’t resist it. Don’t fear it.

Stand in it. Lead from it. Transform through it.

The fog won’t last. But the leader you become in it? That will.