Welcome to the Crisis Phase. Or as we like to call it: the messy middle of becoming.
What one traineeship story tells us about change and self-leadership.
Real growth
Real growth rarely comes with fireworks. It sneaks in while you’re doubting yourself, stuck somewhere between who you were and who you’re becoming. It’s quiet, uncomfortable, and invisible from the outside, but it’s happening.
It’s especially true for young professionals. You start off strong, with a plan and energy. Then the momentum drops, doubts creep in, and suddenly you’re in unknown territory. This is where growth quietly happens. Not loud. Not obvious. But real.
It’s also where Ormit Talent trainee Andrew Lu found himself during a pivotal moment at ArcelorMittal.
Every crisis is a turning point
Andrew began his traineeship with ambition and direction. But a few months into his assignment, things shifted. Confidence dropped. Performance slipped. Then came a formal feedback moment, the kind that demands attention. The message was clear: this needed to change, or the traineeship would end.
Andrew called this his “crisis stage”. He was frustrated. At his coach. At his manager. But mostly at himself. He realised the problem wasn’t that he was in the crisis phase. It was that he had stayed there too long.
Trying to avoid failure had turned him into a spectator of his own story.
During his keynote at Ormit Talks, Andrew shared this moment with honesty. “The fear of making mistakes had made me a shell of myself.” He could have walked away. But he didn’t. Instead, he opened up to his coach and manager, reflected, took ownership, and chose to try again. Not with big steps, but with one small move in the right direction.
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” — Samuel Beckett
Growth often feels like doubt
If you’re feeling stuck, it doesn’t mean you’re off track. It means you’re in it, in the quiet, messy middle where change is actually happening. Because growth rarely feels like growth when you’re in the middle of it.
Andrew didn’t push through blindly. He asked for help. He listened. He showed up differently. And guess what? His environment changed too.
The power of environment
Andrew wasn’t alone in his comeback. He started a vulnerable conversation with fellow trainees and broke the silence.
His manager, François, also stepped up. They had real, open conversations. Trust was rebuilt. Feedback became mutual.
“As a manager, it’s not enough to trust your people. You have to say it out loud.”
François’ shift made a difference. Because growth isn’t just about performance. It’s about connection, clarity and belief.
What changed?
Andrew didn’t just recover – he transformed the way he worked, connected and led.
He stayed at ArcelorMittal, not because the crisis magically disappeared, but because he grew through it. And because he showed others what that growth can look like, too.
That’s the real outcome: not perfection, but progress that sticks.
From culture shock to confidence
Kübler-Ross Change Curve
We often use the Kübler–Ross change curve to explain emotional reactions to change. Want a deeper dive into this curve and how it applies to the workplace?
The Cultural Adaptation Model
Andrew wasn’t reacting to one event. He was adapting to a whole new world, professionally, personally and culturally. That’s where the Cultural Adaptation Model fits better. It maps a journey many young professionals go through in unfamiliar workplaces:
01
Honeymoon
Everything feels new, exciting, full of promise.
02
Crisis
The excitement fades. Doubt, friction and fatigue set in.
03
Recovery
With support and reflection, rhythm slowly returns.
04
Mastery
Confidence grows. Suddenly, the unfamiliar starts feeling like home.
Feeling stuck? This will pull you out.
Talk to someone.
Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Take one small step.
You don’t need a big plan. Just momentum.
Say your doubts out loud.
Fear grows in silence.
Watch the full keynote here!
Andrew Lu about finding your own voice in your own unique context.