If you’re anything like me, you can’t believe it’s September. The autumnal whiff in the air. The back-to-school feeling…

And the list of change you still need to deliver this year is taunting you like the kale you bought on a hopeful Monday that’s disintegrating in the fridge.

September is a big time for change. You might be reflecting on your post summer eureka moments and wondering how the hell to get the ideas delivered. Or thinking about your big change initiatives and lamenting on their progress.

Speaking to some clients right now, they’re not sure what to do next. Frankly, they’re feeling lost at sea with their change. And maybe you are too?

Maybe you’ve been knocked off course by a severe gale – that big commercial announcement or the change of leader that’s forever altered the project path.

Or you’ve faffed around in the shallow water getting nowhere – due to bureaucracy, resource issues or a total lack of clarity on what next.

Or you can’t quite see where the compass is pointing – because agile techniques mean a fluctuating route to the finish.

But what do you need when you’re lost at sea (other than a sun-lounger, a cocktail and a good book)? You need an island.

So, my advice to my clients is: make one. Create a virtual island. A destination to focus on that gives some certainty about the next step. Then assess where you are and create another. And another. Eventually the harbour comes into view and you’ve arrived at your destination.

The uncertainty of change – particularly at the pace and scale of today – can lead to a total lack of progress:

• We’re fearful, so we don’t try
• We’re uncertain, so we don’t move forward
• We can’t afford it all, so we do nothing
• It’s too complicated, so we get lost.

So, take a deep breath and just focus on the next step you have to take. The single next milestone that's a good outcome. Something that allows you to feel positive. For the team to feel momentum. Something to celebrate. For it all to feel more doable.

Worry about the next step when you’ve taken the first.

As long as you have a clear idea of the end point, trust yourself to make the right call to navigate there, step by step. Otherwise, you’ll just stay where you are.

So, tell me. What island are you aiming for?