When I took on my first role as a charity HR director, I found that the challenge wasn't just in stepping up to a new level of responsibility. There were many intangibles and it was a time of great uncertainty.

Now as I work with people in transition, I find that the same questions come up no matter how many times they have made a move. The headline business issues may be complex or relatively transparent. Handling them successfully depends on accurately reading the key players, building good relationships, having competent people in your team and finding ways to keep up your own stamina.

Paradoxically, transition is a time of vulnerability during which leaders may feel they have to know everything and are expected to act swiftly and decisively. Anxious to make an impression, they may take big decisions without fully understanding the context or anticipating the fallout. Indecision can be equally problematic. Taking stock is important, but long-term inaction can damage credibility.

Part of the challenge is in holding on to your own values and integrity while taking account of those of your peers, your team and your boss. They are all likely to be different, and it is important to stay true to yourself as you negotiate your way through your early months.

Even if you don't normally keep a journal, now is a really good time to build up a record of what has been most stretching, what remains unresolved, what new approaches you are developing and what learning needs are emerging. If you have a coach, your journal can be a fruitful source of topics for reflection and development as you grow into the role.

Transition is tough, and the extent of the challenge is frequently glossed over. Elsner and Farrands call the introduction to this valuable book "The great unspoken struggle".

Based on their experience of working with many leaders in transition, the book charts the myths and realities of transition and looks at the personal experiences of real leaders. The authors describe eight 'tensions' or polarities of transition, from whether to shake things up or preserve the status quo, to issues of style, reciprocity of support and information, and pace of change.

I recommend this book to all my clients who are going through role transition or changing organisations. With or without coaching, it helps you to make sense of the unspoken but critical dynamic being played out around you, and to find your way to a sense of how you can best take charge of your new situation.

My creative coach AnnA Rushton is running a workshop on Procrastination on Saturday November 10th from 10 am-1 pm at Brighton Writers' Centre, price £16/£15 concessions, Friends of THE SOUTH £15/£14.

She says, "Is procrastination ruining your creativity? How many projects have you got that are partly started, not finished, or that you are still 'thinking about'? Believe me, you have to be very creative to be a great procrastinator because you need to keep coming up with more and better excuses (sorry, reasons) why you keep putting things off. You can procrastinate for ever, but you can also give it up with my help.

Do you want to know WHY you procrastinate? I reveal the single four-letter word that is responsible for virtually all procrastination behaviour. FEAR is the short way to spell it, but there are many ways to overcome it. Want to really stop procrastinating? Book this workshop now - don't put it off!"

AnnA Rushton is an experienced, published author and professionally trained creativity coach. She has run workshops on creativity and coaching for groups and individuals in the UK and abroad.

Without AnnA I would still be procrastinating about writing the book. She knows her stuff.