The New Normal – Managing change.
According to Psychology Today, Ian Newby-Clark wrote: We are creatures of habit https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creatures-habit/200907/we-are-creatures-habit . “….Habits help us through our day. When we are doing something that is habitual, we are not engaged in the task in the same way as when we are doing something that is not habitual. Just as an example, consider making breakfast in your own kitchen on any given weekday. Next time you do it, watch how effortlessly it happens. It's not exactly like an out-of-body experience, but it's close. Your movements through the kitchen are stereotyped. You grab the milk out of the fridge, turn toward the counter and give the door that little nudge you with your foot that you know it needs. If something is on your mind, you might not notice that you're sitting at the table and munching on your second piece of toast until you're halfway through it. Now, compare that to getting breakfast at a friend's house.”
These habits provide comfort in our lives. As people we tend to fear the unknown. It is the fear of the unknown that causes people to experience anxiety at the thought of change.
As leaders we must all manage change at one time or another. Managing change can be difficult as people resist. Remember you are attempting to take people out of their comfort zone and that is pretty scary for some people. American writer Peter McWilliams once said, “Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream.”
So as we introduce change it’s good to keep in mind the four steps to change.
- Denial
- Resistance
- Cautious Exploration
- Embrace it
Denial is the is the initial step, this is when the person is aware of the change that is going to be taking place but they convince themselves the change won’t affect them. They have their minds made up that they can continue to operate in the same fashion as they always have. As a leader you will need to make sure you consistently reinforce the change in a positive manner.
Resistance the next step is when the person is fully aware the change is going to affect them, but they still feel like if they resist long enough the change will go away. As a leader you will need to make sure you consistently reinforce the fact that the change is not going away, what the benefits are, and how they can benefit from them personally.
Cautious Exploration is the third step. This is when the person is not only aware that change is going to affect them, but they also understand it is not going away. They have began to accept that they will not be able to sit back and continue to do things the way they had previously. They will begin to “try it out”. Think of it as test driving a car to see how it feels. As a leader you will need to make sure you provide positive feedback to reinforce the behavior.
Embrace it the final step is when the person understands the change and has fully bought in. They now support it and the change has become the “New Normal”. As a leader you will need to make sure you set expectations to make sure they don’t revert. Also, continue to reinforce the behavior with positive feedback.
A few last things to remember. You will most likely see a dip in performance while people adjust. You must try to minimize it, you will not be able to completely stop it. And lastly, just like in a bag of microwave popcorn there are always a few kernels that don’t pop. That is they just won’t give up on their resistance to change. At that point you need to determine whether or not they are worth breaking your teeth over.
