Understanding change

u n d e r s ta n d i n g

CHANGE

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WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT...

Recognise the impact of paradigms on yourself and the organisation

Plan actions to move forward and key factors for success

Identify the impact of change on yourself and others

Discuss the five key principles when going through change

Understand the emotional cycle of change

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PARADIGMS the Oxford english dictionary defines the basic meaning of the term paradigm as ‘a typical example or pattern of something; a pattern or model’. the historian of science thomas Kuhn gave it its contemporary meaning when he adopted the word to refer to the set of practices that define a scientific discipline at any particular period of time. paradiGm shifts

paradiGm paralysis

Kuhn's idea was itself revolutionary in its time, as it caused a major change in the way that academics talk about science. thus, it may be that it caused or was itself part of a ‘paradigm shift’ in the history and sociology of science. However, Kuhn would not recognize such a paradigm shift. Being in the social sciences, people can still use earlier ideas to discuss the history of science.

Perhaps the greatest barrier to a paradigm shift, in some cases, is the reality of paradigm paralysis: the inability or refusal to see beyond the current models of thinking. this is similar to what psychologists’ term Confirmation bias. examples include rejection of galileo's theory of a heliocentric universe, the discovery of electrostatic photography, xerography and the quartz clock.

EXamplEs of compaNiEs EmBraciNG chaNGE...

U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

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what arE my paradiGms?

what arE my compaNy paradiGms?

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KEY PRINCIPLES OF CHANGE

When people are experiencing change and managers / leaders are planning to support people through change, there are five key principles that need to be kept in mind: 1. different people react differently to change 2. Everyone has fundamental needs that have to be met 3. change often involves a loss and people will go through the ‘change curve’ 4. Expectations need to be managed realistically 5. fears have to be dealt with

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rEactioN to chaNGE

2

fuNdamENtal NEEds

3

loss

4

EXpEctatioNs

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fEars U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

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ONE

different people react differently to change - some will love it, some will hate it; some will be ready for it and some will not be…

QUESTIONNAIRE - how rEady arE you for chaNGE? in each of the following sections, tick the box next to the statement that comes closest to the truth, as you see it.

my motivation is second to none

my job knowledge level is second to none

i am highly motivated

i am constantly improving my job knowledge level

my motivation comes and goes

i keep up to date

i often lack motivation i couldn’t care less

1

i go on an occasional course i don’t keep up to date

i dislike being told what to do

i like to be involved in decisions

i like to be clear about my role

i like to be consulted

i am prepared to be flexible

i like to be kept informed

i do what i am told i don’t care what i do

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an occasional brief does for me i am not interested

i am usually first with ideas

i am highly respected for my work

Being creative is a key skill of mine

i am respected for my work

i am open to new ideas

i get my fair share of praise

i am not much of an ideas person i am not interested in new ideas

5

i get the occasional thank you i am regarded as worthless

2 4 6

Now add up your scores for questions 1 - 7 U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

i am indispensable

i work in a vital sector

i am a key contributor

i work in a key sector

i am a useful contributor

this sector is important currently

7

i contribute a little i am dispensable

this sector is in danger

there will always be opportunities for me here

this organisation will never die

there are opportunities for me here

this organisation is in a strong position

there are opportunities and threats for me here

this organisation faces threats

9

there are threats for me here there are severe threats for me here

8

this sector is threatened

this organisation is weak this organisation is very weak

10

there are plenty of opportunities in my area of work

No external influence threatens my job

there are opportunities in my area of work

i am not unduly worried by external influences

there are opportunities and threats in my area of work

External influences may pose a threat to my job in the future

there are threats in my area of work

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there are severe threats in my area of work

12

External influences are emerging as a threat my job is threatened by external influences

and add your scores for questions 6 - 12

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GRAPH - how rEady arE you for chaNGE?

RED DANGER ZONE

Plot your total score for questions 1-7 on the X axis SELF ESTEEM. Plot your total score for questions 6 -12 on the Y axis SENSE OF SECURITY.

• Your self-esteem and

draw an imaginary line vertically and horizontally from each of these scores and mark a on the graph where these two lines would meet.

your security are both dangerously low.

*

• It is likely that change

y

will soon be upon you, and you are not ready for it.

HIGH

28 27

daNGEr ZoNE

daNGEr ZoNE

• You need to make

a positive effort to be more open to new ideas and possibilities.

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SENSE OF SECURITY

25 24 23

GREEN DANGER ZONE 22

• Your self-esteem and sense of

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security are both very high.

20

• You may be in danger of

complacency about your true position, rejecting the idea that change could possibly happen to you.

LOW

19 18 17

daNGEr ZoNE

daNGEr ZoNE

• Do not let your arrogance

16 X

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 28

APATHY

U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

SELF ESTEEM

ARROGANCE

catch you out; you need to evaluate your situation objectively and listen carefully to the views of others.

• Your self-esteem is dangerously

INTERPRETATION how rEady arE you for chaNGE?

• It may be that you are

what does it mean if your score isn’t plotted into one of these danger zones?

YELLOW DANGER ZONE

low, even though you feel your job is secure

procrastinating or suppressing the idea that change is likely, because you are unprepared for it.

• Do not let your apathy

catch you out; you need to clarify your position and explore alternatives positively.

• You’re out of danger!

You’re taking a balanced approach to the situation, which is more likely to make you responsive to change.

• Key traits to avoid are apathy, procrastination, arrogance and complacency

• You need to be ready to explore BLUE DANGER ZONE

• Your self-esteem is high, but your security is dangerously low.

• You may feel that your skills will tide you over any forthcoming changes, but you may be in danger of distorting the true picture.

• Even though you feel you have

a lot to contribute, you should specifically prepare for change by evaluating your options objectively and exploring possibilities with an open mind.

alternatives as they arise.

• You need to listen, clarify,

be open to new ideas and evaluate options.

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priNciplE

TWO Everyone has fundamental needs that have to be met... a famous psychologist called Will schutz identified three basic needs that people have in interpersonal relations. these basic needs are also of fundamental importance in people's reaction to change:

• the need for control • the need for inclusion • the need for openness whilst the need for these can vary between people, in any change process there is always some degree of need for control over one's environment/destiny, some degree of need to be included in the process of forming the change that is taking place, and some degree of need for managers/leaders to be open with their information. if a change programme fails to meet the control, inclusion and openness needs of the individuals affected by it then that programme is likely to encounter a range of negative reactions, ranging from ambivalence through resistance to outright opposition.

U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

what EXpEriENcEs or iNsiGhts do i havE?

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priNciplE

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THREE

FOUR

change often involves a loss, and people go through the ‘change curve’.

The relevance of the ‘change curve’ to a change management programme depends on the nature and extent of the loss. If someone is promoted to a more senior position, the 'loss' of the former position is rarely an issue because it has been replaced by something better. But if someone is made redundant with little prospect of getting a new job, there are many losses (income, security, working relationships) that can have a devastating effect.

The common factors for everyone experiencing the ‘change curve’ are:

• that there can be an initial period where the

change does not sink in. for example, feelings may be kept high by the individual convincing themselves that the change is not going to happen

• that when the loss is realised, the individual

hits a deep low. the depth of this 'low' is deepened if the loss is sudden or unexpected

• that the period of adjustment to the new

situation can be very uncomfortable and take a long time. in the case of bereavement, the period of adjustment can be as long as two years

Expectations need to be managed realistically.

The relationship between expectations and reality is very important. You can see this in customer relations – if a supplier fails to meet expectations then the customer is unhappy; if the supplier exceeds expectations then the customer is happy.

To some extent the same principle applies to staff and change. If their expectations are not met, they are unhappy. If their expectations are exceeded, they are happy.

Sometimes, enforced change (e.g. redundancies) inevitably involve the failure to meet expectations: there had been an expectation of job security, which has now been taken away.

What leaders / managers have to do, however, is make sure they don't pour petrol on the fire by making promises that cannot or will not be kept.

Expectations have to be set at a realistic level, and then exceeded (e.g. in terms of the degree of outplacement support that will be provided).

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FIVE fears have to be dealt with in times of significant change rational thought goes out of the window. this means that people often fear the worst – in fact, they fear far more than the worst, because their subconscious minds suddenly become illogical and see irrational consequences. e.g.

• our company is reducing staff, which means...

• they will make people redundant, and...

• i'll be the first to be kicked out, and...

• i'll have no hope of getting another job, and...

• i won't be able to pay the mortgage, so...

• i'll lose the house, so...

• my family won't have anywhere to live, and...

• my wife won't be able to cope, so...

• she'll leave me, and...

• i'll be so disgraced the children won't speak to me ever again. such fears need to be addressed, e.g. by helping people to recognise that most people who are made redundant find a better job with better pay and have a huge lump sum in their pocket! or, where appropriate, by explaining how the reductions in staff numbers are going to be achieved (by natural wastage or voluntary redundancy).

U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

what pErsoNal EXamplEs of major chaNGE havE i EXpEriENcEd? what has been better / improved my quality of life at work or at home?

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THE CHANGE CONTINUUM the following diagram represents a spectrum of change:

STABILITY

CHANGE

Different people have different preferences for where they like to be on this spectrum. Some people like to be at the STABILITY end of the spectrum - they like things to be the way they have always been. Other people like to be at the CHANGE end of the spectrum - they are always looking for something different and new.

Problems arise when the individual's preferences differ from the situation they find themselves in. That is, if: a stability-oriented person finds that circumstances are changing quite rapidly, or a change-oriented person finds that everything is the same and there is nothing new.

• •

In these situations, the individuals involved can experience: strong dissatisfaction stress negative attitudes towards individuals with preferences at the other end of the spectrum (e.g. distrust, dislike) resistance (to change, or to the status quo) intense emotions loss of rational judgement

• • • • • •

People tend to resist approaches on other parts of the spectrum than where they themselves prefer to be.

what is your attitudE to chaNGE? is it better or worse; a threat or an opportunity?

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review and actions what is your one key learning you have taken from today?

what is the first thing you will do or try out differently as a result of today?

when will you do this?

what other insights / actions have you taken from today?

what, if any, support will you need?

what will success look like?

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Notes:

U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

U N D E R S TA N D I N G C H A N G E

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