Koenig has discovered that the role of source can be passed from one person to another, as in a family business where the primary leadership role passes from a member of one generation to the next.

Just as there is a specific moment when the source creates the initiative, there is a specific moment when the old source succeeds in passing the torch to a new one. This is a collaborative act between two people but when it happens it’s like a pole shift. Everyone can feel it and know that it has happened.

Ceremony can play an important part in the transmission of source with the witnessing of bystanders playing the same kind of role as in other rituals (like gathering together for weddings, bar mitzvahs and coronations.) The old source is then out, and the new source assumes their power, along with the information channel on vision and next steps.

In organisations, a few of the tell-tale signs of the source not having been transferred (or not transferred fully) can be that the newly appointed leader:

• feels disconnected from the business,
• is unsure about next steps – has no vision,
• does not feel what his or her place or purpose in the endeavour is,
• has no execution even though they have all the legal power and job title,
• experiences power struggles with other people in the organisation,
• is not accepted by others in the organisation as the new leader.

When this happens, the new leader sometimes tries to use their formal authority to force people to follow their instructions. In other cases, without a single source holding the vision, the organisation can become overly egalitarian, drifting without a coherent vision.

Meanwhile, the true source is still energetically tied to the initiative, even if they are not physically present or have resigned their formal position. They may experience difficulty letting go or putting their full energy into new activities.

When source has been fully transferred, people in the organisation sense it, let go of the attachment to the old source, and the new source fully assumes the role.

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