Rewriting Your Next Chapter: Lessons on Legacy, Leadership and Intentional Change with Averil Price
- truthaboutlocalgov
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
What does legacy really mean in leadership? Is it the job title we held or the ripples we leave in people and places? That question sits at the heart of our recent Truth About Local Government episode with Averil Price, author of The Legacy Coach: Your Next Chapter, Your Legacy, Your Way. In this conversation, we explored why legacy matters, especially during times of uncertainty and transformation, and how leaders can take intentional steps to shape their next chapter.
Legacy Isn’t About Hierarchy It’s About Humanity
Averil distilled a truth that many leaders sense but rarely articulate:
“Legacy isn’t about hierarchy, it’s about humanity… titles fade, organisations move on, but the impact you’ve had on people and on systems is what lasts.”
This perspective challenges the traditional notion that legacy is tied to status or position. Instead, Averil reminds us that while visible achievements new leisure centres, regeneration schemes, co-created community spaces are important, they are not the whole story. The most enduring legacies often live in people: the colleagues we inspire, the teams we nurture, and the individuals we mentor. These are the “ripples” that persist long after the ribbon is cut and the headlines fade.
“Every leader leaves a legacy, whether we realise it or not… the most lasting legacies are often less visible those that live in people.”
Think about it: buildings will eventually be replaced, projects will evolve, and organisational charts will change. But the confidence you instilled in a rising leader, the culture you shaped through your values, and the opportunities you created for others those are the legacies that endure. They influence decisions, behaviours, and even future leaders long after you’ve moved on.
Why this conversation matters now in local government
England is undergoing once‑in‑a‑generation structural change. The Government’s reorganisation programme aims to end two‑tier systems and establish single‑tier unitary councils, reshaping accountability, service delivery, and workforce models across 21 areas. The Local Government Association’s LGR brief outlines indicative timelines (final proposals through 2025–26 and potential “go‑live” dates from 2027–28) and highlights the workforce, data and IT, and safe & legal readiness that new shadow councils must secure ahead of vesting day.
At the same time, local government employment hit a record low at ~1.99 million in December 2024 (partly due to academisation shifts to central government), underscoring capacity pressures and the need to retain and redeploy leadership talent through reorganisation. The LGA’s 2024/25 workforce surveys point to persistent recruitment and retention challenges, an ongoing need to update pay, policies and pipelines, and a priority to support wellbeing and leadership through transition.
In short: change is here; leaders will need both resilience and intentionality to shape outcomes for residents and teams.
Designing Your Next Chapter (Instead of Drifting)
Averil’s core message is clear: successful transitions don’t happen by accident they are built with intention. Whether you’re facing a career pivot, organisational restructure, or personal reinvention, the difference between drifting and designing lies in deliberate action. She offers three practical levers leaders can pull immediately:
1. Manage Your Mindset
Transitions often feel like standing with one foot in the past and one in the future. That “in‑between” space can be uncomfortable but it’s normal. Naming it helps you plan through it. Averil encourages leaders to reframe uncertainty as opportunity:
Ask yourself: What am I holding onto that no longer serves me? What excites me about what’s ahead?
Recognise that ambiguity is temporary. The more you focus on what you can control your skills, your network, your narrative the less power uncertainty holds over you.
Build rituals for reflection: journaling, coaching conversations, or even short weekly check‑ins with yourself to track progress.
Mindset isn’t just about positivity; it’s about agency. When you believe you can influence your next chapter, you start acting like it.
2. Work Your Weak Ties
Your next opportunity may not come from your closest colleagues it often comes from the edges of your network. Sociologist Mark Granovetter’s research on “weak ties” has stood the test of time, and modern data backs it up: a five‑year LinkedIn study of 20 million users found that moderately weak ties significantly improve job mobility.
Why? Because distant connections expose you to fresh perspectives, new roles, and networks you wouldn’t access through your inner circle. Practical steps:
List 10 people you know but rarely speak to former colleagues, acquaintances, friends of friends.
Reach out with curiosity, not an agenda: “I’d love to hear what you’re working on and share what’s happening in my world.”
Join professional forums or LinkedIn groups in adjacent sectors to widen your lens.
Weak ties aren’t about opportunism they’re about expanding possibility.
3. Start Small
Big moves rarely happen in one leap. They’re built from small, repeatable actions that increase conviction and reduce risk. Averil suggests:
Pilot a side project aligned with your interests.
Shadow someone in a role you’re exploring.
Volunteer for a short-term initiative to test new skills.
These micro‑steps create momentum and confidence. They also help you validate whether a new direction feels right before committing fully.
“I want the book to spark movement as well as meaning.” – Averil Price
Evidence That Coaching Helps Leaders Navigate Change
If legacy truly lives in people, then coaching is one of the most strategic investments you can make in leaders and teams during times of uncertainty. It’s not a luxury or a “nice to have” it’s a proven lever for performance, resilience, and wellbeing, backed by decades of research and reinforced by post-pandemic realities.
What the Research Says
1. Meta-analyses confirm impact
Large-scale reviews consistently show that workplace coaching delivers measurable improvements in goal attainment, self-efficacy, and adaptability. The strongest results occur when coaching integrates cognitive-behavioural techniques (to reframe limiting beliefs) with strengths-based approaches (to amplify what leaders do well). This combination helps leaders not only cope with change but thrive in it.
2. Randomised trials demonstrate tangible benefits
Controlled studies reveal that coaching has a moderate, statistically significant effect on performance, wellbeing, coping strategies, and work attitudes. In practical terms, this means coaching doesn’t just feel supportive it drives real behavioural change and better decision-making under pressure.
3. Post-pandemic reviews highlight success factors
The shift to hybrid and remote work accelerated the need for accessible, cost-effective coaching. Research identifies four critical determinants of success:
Coach characteristics – experience, empathy, and credibility matter.
The coach–coachee relationship – trust and psychological safety are non-negotiable.
Organisational support – coaching works best when embedded in culture, not treated as a one-off intervention.
Digital modalities – virtual coaching has proven highly effective, making it scalable during large-scale reorganisations.
Why This Matters Now
Local government leaders are navigating unprecedented transformation structural reorganisations, budget constraints, and cultural shifts. Coaching provides a safe space to process complexity, clarify priorities, and build confidence for the next chapter. It’s not about fixing problems; it’s about unlocking potential and sustaining performance through change.
These findings resonate deeply with Averil Price’s lived experience. After a life-altering event a sudden brain haemorrhage she didn’t just pivot her career; she built a new chapter grounded in purpose and coaching:
“Transition isn’t a single moment it is a process… I get great pleasure out of coaching others through similar crossroads, helping them rediscover purpose and confidence.” – Averil Price
Coaching is more than a conversation it’s a structured, evidence-based approach to unlock clarity, build resilience, and accelerate intentional change. For leaders navigating local government transformation, it can mean the difference between reacting to change and designing the next chapter with confidence.
Three Actions for Leaders Facing Forced Change
When certainty is limited, waiting passively is the worst strategy. Averil emphasizes that even in turbulent times, leaders can reclaim agency by focusing on what they can control and taking small, deliberate steps. Here’s how:
1. Clarify Your Circle of Control
In periods of restructuring or reorganisation, it’s easy to feel powerless. But not everything is outside your influence. Start by mapping two lists:
Within your control: Your skills, your positioning, your personal narrative, your network, and how you show up in conversations.
Outside your control: Timelines, statutory orders, political decisions.
Once you’ve drawn that line, double down on the controllables. Update your CV and LinkedIn profile, craft a compelling personal statement, and identify gaps in your skillset that you can address now. This exercise shifts your mindset from reactive to proactive.
2. Strengthen “Weak Ties” Intentionally
Your next opportunity may not come from your inner circle it often comes from the edges of your network. Research, including LinkedIn’s five-year study of 20 million users, shows that moderately weak ties significantly improve job mobility.
Practical steps:
Identify 10–15 distant contacts former colleagues, acquaintances, or friends of friends especially those in new or prospective unitary councils.
Schedule short, focused conversations: “I’d love to hear your perspective on the changes happening and share what I’m exploring.”
Join sector forums or LinkedIn groups to widen your lens.
Weak ties aren’t about opportunism they’re about expanding possibilities and gaining fresh insights during transition.
3. Start Small but Start Now
Big career moves rarely happen overnight. They’re built from small, repeatable actions that reduce risk and build confidence. Consider:
Short pilots: Take on a side project aligned with your interests.
Secondments or shadow days: Experience a new role without full commitment.
Micro-projects: Volunteer for initiatives that stretch your skills.
Consistency beats intensity. Even one small step each week creates momentum and signals to others and yourself that you’re moving forward.
“In transitions, consistency beats intensity. Start small, but start now.” – Averil Price
Where to Read The Legacy Coach
If you’re ready to explore these ideas further, Averil’s book The Legacy Coach: Your Next Chapter, Your Legacy, Your Way is available now on Amazon. It’s a practical guide packed with reflective exercises, real-life stories, and actionable steps to help leaders design their next chapter with clarity and confidence.
Final Thought: Make Your Ripples Intentional
Reorganisation brings disruption but it also creates a rare opportunity to re-design. If our legacies truly live in people, then the most practical thing we can do is invest in clarity, connection, and small, consistent action. As Averil reminds us, legacy is not something that happens to us; it’s something we choose. Every conversation, every decision, every act of mentoring creates ripples that outlast job titles and organisational charts. So, as you step into 2026, give yourself permission to pause and reflect. Ask:
What impact do I want to leave behind?
What story do I want to write next?
Over the holidays, carve out space for this reflection and start the new year with intention and control. Because the future isn’t just something that arrives; it’s something you design!
This blog post was sponsored by Local Partnerships LLP, who help local authorities to deliver projects and implement changes efficiently. They offer expertise in climate adaptation, energy efficiency, waste management, housing, infrastructure, procurement, and digital transformation, ensuring excellent value for money and meeting key priorities.
