People - Top Tips - Adapting to change
Adapting to change
This document is designed as a quick reference guide to adapting to change.
This will enable you to gain knowledge of a particular skill, task or process.
This means you can quickly find the key information that you need and refer to it on an ongoing basis whenever you need to refresh your knowledge.
What you need to knowÉ
Change is a normal part of life, but it may have a way of making you feel adrift and uncertain. This is especially true with change in the workplace. Changes at work - even good ones, such as getting the new job you wanted, can make you feel anxious. Other changes may make you frustrated or angry. Although you canÕt always control change, you can learn to control the way it affects you. Your response to change has a lot to do with whether you sink or swim.
If you cling to your old ways, the force of change may sink your ship. But if you learn to adapt, change usually brings new opportunities. So why not let go of the familiar and reach for the new? Mourn the loss of the old ways, then move on.
<<
Logged in as: Adam Bramwell
People - Top Tips - Adapting to change
The change curve
Progressing through the Change Curve
Usually people will go through the four phases in the order shown, although at varying speeds. In order to make the change effectively, you must reach and go through the last stage, having successfully moved through all the others.
You may on occasion get stuck in a particular phase and need helping out, possibly by counselling; again the key is to recognise the stage you have reached. Note that although there is a dip in output, the end result is a higher level than before the change.
<<
People - Top Tips - Adapting to change
The change curve
Denial
● In the first box, is the Denial phase. Typically, you may:
● Avoid discussing the topic if possible, appearing unconcerned
● Wait and see, avoid taking initiative, act as if nothing is happening
● Do routine work only, avoiding stepping outside your own job role
● Focus on small details and disregard the Ôbig pictureÕ
● Blame other people, the company, the state of the economy
● Question the method or data used to make a decision
Consequences of this include:
● Delaying the inevitable, lost opportunities to adapt early
● Poor or no planning, hindering the changes needed
Resistance
In the second box, is Resistance. Typically, you may:
● Be angry at, and complain to others about the company
● Disagree and refuse to comply with decisions made
● Feel overwhelmed, unfairly treated, and powerless to affect matters
● Become quiet, passive, and careless of the future
● In addition to the behaviour of its individuals, a team may:
● Have little energy, and wait for direction and specific instructions
● Not take the initiative, such as starting projects or new work
● Argue over new ideas, and criticise those who are positive
● Predict doom for the company, giving examples of past failures
Consequences of this include:
● The system is challenged and the change process slowed
● Outcomes of the change are influenced
● Accountability is temporarily avoided
However, it will also:
● Provide time to seek order and stability
● Give an opportunity to vent feelings and emotions
● Create visibility for concerns, leading to addressing them
Exploration
In the third box, is in Exploration and the focus becomes more positive and forward looking. Typically, you may:
● Look for new ways of thinking and working, and take more risks
● Have the energy and the desire to learn and solve problems
● Create a vision of the future, involving generating lots of new ideas
Consequences of this include people being:
● Ready to adapt, learn and plan for the future
● Prepared to consider and agree to help the change and each other
● Able to work well together but have trouble staying focussed
Commitment
In the fourth box, the individual is in Commitment. Typically, you may:
● Feel confident and in control of your own work and life
● Feel they have Ôcome through itÕ and are consequently less stressed
● Work efficiently and effectively, and in a focussed manner
● Feel they know what to do, can do it, and agree this within the team
Consequences of this include:
● High performance
● Achievement of results
● Focus on continued improvement
● Improved readiness for subsequent changes
Step by Step
Use Change to Your Advantage
By accepting change, you can deal with it in a productive way. First, map out your goals, both work-related and personal ones. How can the changes taking place help you get where you want to go? By forcing you to rethink old ideas, work-related changes may help you make a few good changes of your own.
People - Top Tips - Adapting to change
What matters to you?
If you know whatÕs important to you, responding to change is easier. Think about the questions below, and be honest with your answers. The only correct answer is the one thatÕs right for you. Your answers can help you stay on course despite the uncertainties of change. Once you know where you want to go, you can make choices (and changes) that will help you reach your destination.
● What do I want from my job?
● Do I like predictive, creative, secure or independent work?
● Do I work best alone or with others?
● Do I want strong leadership or room for independence?
● How much emotional, physical, and financial security do I need