OrgDev with Distinction The Hidden Leadership Power of Endings with Lizzie Bentley Bowers and Alison Lucas
Apr 24, 2026
Alison Lucas, an executive coach and director focused on leadership and organisational change, and Lizzie Bentley Bowers, an executive coach who guides boards through transitions, explore why endings matter. They discuss everyday organisational endings, emotional processing, cleanly closing projects and rituals that protect trust. Practical ideas cover communication, HR’s role, shame and vulnerability, and preparing for future transitions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Give Time And Structured Space To Mourn
- Give time and structured space for mourning rather than rushing on; it speeds up healthier regrouping.
- Alison used a one-hour history-telling plus emotion cards before afternoon strategic planning to accelerate team integration after a merger.
Unresolved Exit From 20 Years Ago Slowed A Manager
- Garin shared a case where a senior manager blocked performance because he retained trauma from past on-site exits decades earlier.
- The unresolved ending created long-term performance drag and organisational scar tissue.
Emotions Suppressed Now Become Future Scars
- Avoiding emotional work doesn't make feelings disappear; they resurface in decisions, trust and performance.
- Lizzie warns that suppressed emotions often reappear later as entrenched scars or dysfunctional behaviour.
