Heading Toward New Beginnings: Dealing with Change

We can all agree change is here to stay! It is time to be intentional and train your team members and future team members on how to survive. When you invest in your people and give them a clear path for dealing with change, you are building trust. If 31% of employees say they do not trust their front-line supervisor, then there is a huge opportunity to make a change.

When it comes to communicating concepts and needed actions to your team members, one first has to identify the audiences/stakeholders. Next, it is important to develop a framework using engagement models. In order to build psychological strength and proactively work through change you’re your team members, it is important to teach skills on embracing uncertainty and change. William Bridges teaches us “It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions… Change is situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, the new policy.?Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation.?Change is external, transition is internal” (1991).

Letting go of the past allows individuals to embrace the new. William Bridges refers to this as “endings”. Next, individuals move into the neutral zone where they will explore their comfort with the change. With new beginnings, people begin to embrace change. As a leader, you most likely had the opportunity to learn about changes quite earlier than your team members. Remember to allow individuals to go through the stages of endings, neutral zone, and new beginnings. Some people will need a little more time. Perhaps some will not even make the transition at all.

There are many emotions such as uncertainty, denial, confusion, frustration, and reservations. Leaders will help their team members through the ending stages. Remember, endings come first! It is important not to talk people out of how they are feeling but to provide information, communicate, and be visible for your team members. Explaining what to expect may also help people move from endings to the neutral zone to ultimately new beginnings.

As a leader you most likely have dealt with change too! Be transparent and share with your team members how you worked through the change and moved from being confused to being creative. All of this requires patience and an understanding of how to move from endings, to the neutral zone, to beginnings. You can do it!

For more information on our Change Workshop, please send me a private message! I would welcome the opportunity to talk with you or a member of your team.

Valerie