Each year, IOL helps hundreds of leaders and managers lead through change more effectively. 

This five-step change mangement model helps explain how to navigate through the often misunderstood human side of change.  For more detailed information click on the Read More link below, or contact the IOL office at 770-419-1716.

Step 1: Demonstrate Empathy

A.  Change is Personal

1. Although constant change has been part of our lives since birth, we tend to view almost any call for change as an unwelcome invasion of our personal lives. 
2. In many cases, even the slightest hint that change is in the air will trigger our natural instincts of fight or flight.
3. One of my colleagues argues that most people don't like change, and those who say they do have just learned how to cope with the inevitable.

B.  Change is Loss

1. One of the most surprising things about the affect of change on human beings is that it almost always brings about a sense of personal loss. 
2. Loss is associated with positive change as well as negative, and may be understood by looking at the stages of grief commonly used by counselors, therapists, and ministers.
3. Dr. Morris Shechtman, actually proposes that organizations use the grief process as a proactive way of helping drive personal growth.  He not only recognizes the sense of personal loss caused by rapid change, he encourages it as a tool to help people take control of their lives.

C.  Solutions

1. Audit:  Conduct a change readiness audit to determine the current readiness of the workforce most affected by the change
2. Train:  Conduct grief management workshops designed around corporate change to prepare all executives, managers, and team leaders to deal with staff.
3. Encourage:  Begin building a more adaptive and agile work culture that views change as positive and a natural part of the growth process

Step 2: Understand People

A.  People are Complex

1. Most people would agree that human behavior is highly complex and difficult to understand.
2. The connection between the psychological, physiological, sociological, and spiritual dynamics have made humans a topic of scientific study for more than 150 years.
3. The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes more than 35 areas of specialization within psychology alone (APA, 2005).

B.  People are Predictable

1. Although highly complex, human behavior is also highly predictable.
2. We have a variety of highly accurate assessments:

• Personality (Needs-Motivated Behavior)
• Values (Values-Motivated Behavior)
• Learning Styles (4MAT)
• Emotional Intelligence (EI/EQ)
• Leadership Styles (MFLI)
• Communication Styles
• Time Management Styles
• Problem-Solving Inventories
• Teamwork Profiles

C.  Solutions

1. Plan:  Build a tool chest of behavioral instruments that meets the needs of your organization and use them.
2. Partner:  Partner with outside professionals to help you understand the findings and make the best application.
3. Grow:  Adopt a professional development model for all levels of staff and connect promotions and incentives to personal and professional growth.

Step 3: Communicate Clearly

A.  Say it Early

1. The earlier you engage people in a discussion about the need for change the more quickly they will accept and adapt to the change initiatives once they begin.
2. The earlier you announce change initiatives, the more quickly you will get support for implementation.
3. The longer you wait to communicate that change is coming, the more anxiety and passive-aggressive behavior you will get.

B.  Say it Often

1. Communicate the benefits of the change as often as possible.
2. Weekly or monthly communication is not too much when engaged in change initiative.
3. Let other departments or areas know how the change is going, even if they are not involved.
4. Talk about the problems or roadblocks before it becomes a topic around the office - they know that you know, so say it first.

C.  Solutions

1. Market:  Develop an formal marketing plan outlining how you will communicate to internal and external customers.
2. Feedback:  Set up a formal feedback loop for announcing successes and gathering feedback from staff and customers - even bad news when reported correctly can be good news.
3. Celebrate:  Create champions by recognizing the accomplishments of individuals or teams - No one ever died from too much encouragement!

Step 4: Involve Everyone

A.  Listen at the Start

1. Rule #1:  People don't resist their own ideas.
2. The majority of employees are much less resistant to change when they have an opportunity to participate in the initial planning process.
3. Practice active listening by posing questions and probing deeper into the insights and ideas of your employees - They might have something valuable to say.
4. You will never be able to take advantage of my knowledge and experience if you don't stop to listen.

B.  Involve Throughout

1. Rule #2:  Involve people throughout the process.
2. Consensus occurs in human groups when everyone feels that they have been heard
3. Consensus does not mean that everyone agrees, but that everyone has had an opportunity to express their views.
4. Once consensus occurs, almost everyone will offer some support once the change is underway.

C.  Solutions

1. Plan:  Before you announce a change initiative, determine who you need to meet with and in what order.
2. Meet:  Have formal meetings to ask questions and gather information.
3. Capture:  During the meetings, take notes about what people say and how they say it. 
4. Identify:  Identify any potential barriers or roadblocks with the specific personalities involved - Keep a file.

Step 5: Anticipate Resistance

A.  Resistance is Normal

1. Resistance to change is a normal human response and may be closely tied to our fear of losing power and control.
2. People resist change . . .

• When the purpose of the change is unclear
• When they are not involved in the planning process
• When the change is based on a personal appeal
• When you ignore the standards of acceptance of the people involved
• When there is poor communication about the effects of the change
• When there is fear of failure
• When there is a strong satisfaction with the status quo
• When there are inadequate rewards for change offered (Lippitt, Watson, & Westley, 1958, Chambers, 2005))

B.  Disloyalty is Rare

1. Resistance to change is not the same thing as disloyalty.
2. A consistent number of people will always resist anything, and the rule is generally 20/50/30 regardless of the organizational setting.

• 20% will embrace the change without much question
• 50% will remain neutral until convinced that it is necessary or beneficial
• 30% will continue to resist regardless of what you do

C.  Solutions

1. Relax:  A certain amount of resistance is both normal and healthy in any organization or change initiative.
2. Leverage:  Learn to leverage resistance and use it to gain new knowledge, wisdom, and understanding about how to improve future projects.
3. Focus:  Focus your time and attention on winning over the 50% who are neutral rather than worrying about the 30% who will never support the change.  Do the math and you will figure out where to put your energy as a leader in charge of successful change.

American Psychological Association. (2005).  Careers in psychology.  Retrieved June 16, 2005 from http://www.apa.org/topics/psychologycareer.html

Chambers, J. (2005).  Change management model: The human side of leading through change initiatives.  Atlanta, GA: Institute for Organizational Leadership.

Lippitt, R., Watson, J., and Westley, B. (1958).  The dynamics of planned change.  New York: Harcourt, Brace & company.