How People React to Change: The Journey

The attitude curve that I learned in our parenting class is an example of the classic three-stage journey of human change. The journey is taken from a different perspective than the perspective we take on the transformations of most other things, such as facilities, technologies, data, and the like. Normally, the approach to change is to start with the end in mind and work backward through the activities to the current requirements. This also has some merit in changing humans because we have to know where we want them to be at the end of the journey. We must also keep in mind that they aren’t starting with the new vision in mind if they suspect that it might not be their vision. Where they are today will be their dominant focus and perspective. We must end something before we can start something new, and we have to manage their transition to the new vision from that point of view.

Individuals typically have no problem starting something new, but they have great difficulty in ending something old, even if the new should be far more attractive logically. Business change drives toward a situational event. Transition is the internal process people go through to accept change and modify their behavior.

The three-stage journey, then, is composed of

• The ending state, followed by

• The transition state, followed by

• The emerging state (or the beginning)

In many ways, this journey is like a hockey game or any team sport: Figure 8.2 depicts the challenge. To be successful as a player and a team, it’s essential to be able to score goals in the opponents’ net. But to do that, you first have to clear your own zone and leave it behind in circumstances wherein pressure is on you all the time. When you’re outside the ending zone and in the neutral transition zone, you can focus resources on the challenge of entering your opponents’ zone and aim at accomplishing team objectives. Clearly, it’s unlikely that games will be won, or transitions accomplished, by trying to score from the other end of the ice. Each zone requires a plan and commitment for movement to the next.

The Ending

Regardless of circumstances, people typically will think about what they have to give up more than what they will gain, even in circumstances that currently are unpleasant. Consequently, I believe that trying to sell the benefits of the change too soon is unwise. Instead, it seems to be more effective to show that you understand their situation, and to legitimize the losses and allow them to mourn those losses as they do with any passing. This is a normal human reaction and a required step in letting go, so let’s not fight it.

Clearly, the ending is the hardest part for all humans to deal with. Everything that makes them valuable to the organization and the organization to them is now in question. They are concerned about having to put aside current behaviors, beliefs, friendships, relevant competencies, relationships, and many other aspects of their working situation. They are also afraid of what they don’t know yet. A natural consequence of this painful time is paralysis. Humans will get caught up in their uncertainty, suspect the worst, and not move toward new action because it might be perceived as a risk personally. As a result, a valid strategy often can be to raise the visibility of the need to change from the current situation.

A Chinese proverb states, “The greatest opportunities are created out of crisis. Crisis forces people to change, and change often brings new opportunity.” That might be true, but creating a crisis is just a starting point that will be a step backward if unaccompanied by a plan to transition to something new. In any event, an organization’s human resources and other stakeholders must come to the realization emotionally that staying the same isn’t an option. Sometimes brutal honesty and absolute proof are required to get them to move from their current beliefs.

The Change/Dissatisfaction Curve in Figure 8.3 depicts three possible states of belief for an organization’s staff. Some might be in one segment, whereas others see the situation quite differently. The challenge is to get everyone to the middle, which will take different tactics and timings for different people.

The high dissatisfaction segment implies that staff members truly understand that an ending has to come soon, but they have no confidence in the chance of success of the change program. These staff members might be your best workers, who will jump ship if they believe that it’s sinking. In this situation, it’s best to normalize the dissatisfaction level by reassuring staff and trying to build their confidence. Focus on the methods to be used in the transformation; show that the methods are professional and that they will work. It will probably mean showing how other organizations have made changes in similar circumstances. Normalizing dissatisfaction can also require communicating more information and training staff on the process of change. For these people, faster delivery efforts might be a useful approach, focusing on the long-term benefits of doing the transformation right and proving results as you go by breaking initiative into smaller scope segments. In any event, it’s useful to let the staff grieve somewhat, and give them time to get it out of their system.

The low dissatisfaction segment shown in Figure 8.3 symbolizes staff members who feel that everything is OK as far as they are concerned. Why bother doing this? Clearly, the organization has to foster a deep awareness that staying the same is a threat to the organization and to the individuals in it. This can seem like a thankless job. To normalize dissatisfaction toward the middle, it might be required to increase pressure from above or to raise the bar on performance objectives based on real threats from a competitor and other external sources. This requires getting a lot of data/statistics that are irrefutable proof and dispassionately but strongly presenting them. The results of benchmarking and of customer surveys are hard to argue with. Measured stakeholder-based facts and outside perceptions of current performance cut through the suspicion of internally driven change at the whim of management. The staff might not like what they’re told or thank you, but this sort of pressure is key to get the transition journey started. Tools such as industry surveys, visits to customer sites, focus groups, direct feedback through questions and complaints, market research surveys, and sales feedback information are invaluable. They allow management and project professionals to strongly make the case for change without it being quite so emotional.

The ending phase is typically short when handled well. However, it’s characterized by strong feelings of pain and anger. Those affected often experience loss of identity and sometimes feel threatened. Most people value what they do and the environment that they do it in as much as what they create. For some, what they do is their whole identity. Losing it can be painful.

Transition

The transition period can be the most agonizing stage of change management and can last a long time because of frequent backsliding of morale and lack of constant attention by change agents and management. It’s a time when messages can be inconsistent both over time and across messengers. This period is filled with confusion, soul searching, and doubt among those affected. It’s a true test of management commitment and resolve.

This period is sometimes referred to as “between trapezes time,” when individuals have let go of the old but haven’t yet acquired the new. Although staff members are moving toward the future, they still tend to idealize the past and be skeptical about their destination. On the change curve in Figure 8.1, it equates to trying to climb out of the valley’s depths and crawl up the right side. This slope is slippery, and it’s easy to fall backward. Each retreat can lead to more reluctance to try again. The trust so important to transition can erode, and the gulf between managers and staff can widen.

The transition period is a time of self-doubt and discomfort leading to active or passive resistance and generally unproductive behavior. It’s a time when people feel confused, awkward, ill at ease, and self-conscious. This is normal and to be expected. Staff and their managers must be made aware of this. This is a time to communicate what’s happening so that people are better prepared and don’t feel so alone. (Interestingly, these feelings of loneliness occur despite everyone else also going through the change.) At this point, we should seek to structure any activities that create involvement. We should actively encourage sharing of ideas and work together to help each other through the change.

At this point, the old and new might coincide regarding the work to be done. It’s like trying to rewire your house with the lights still on. It’s risky and requires extra work. It’s not unusual, then, to find that people will be concerned that they don’t have enough resources in terms of time, money, skills, and so on. Be sure to encourage creative problem solving in a team setting.

Be cautious about taking the pressure off to be nice; people will revert back to old behavior, and you won’t be helping them in the long run, only dragging out the pain. The journey must be managed with the destination in mind. Remember to be realistic because humans can handle only so much change. Be clear about your priorities and go for the long run.

For each individual, the transition journey will vary because every person has a unique set of drivers, personality, background, and concerns. For each observation of lack of progress, it’s useful to identify the holdup. Is it that the individual isn’t aware of some essential information? If so, focus on communicating the what, why, how, when, who, and so on. Is it that they fear that they aren’t capable? If so, focus on educating them and training them in new skills and tools. Is it that they aren’t willing? If so, focus on setting clear personal and business goals and measures, provide coaching and feedback, and reward and recognize relentlessly.

The New Beginning

When the transition is well under way, we will witness the beginning of the new beliefs, commitments, and behaviors. With this comes a renewed sense of belonging and dedication. Staff demonstrate a strong ability to let go of past behavior and are filled with fresh energy and a sense of purpose. The most obvious behaviors witnessed are confidence, energy, and productivity. Staff members now anticipate the new future with a sense of excitement. The new beginning is an outcome of realizing the management of the transition phase.