Leadership’s Responsibility Within the Three Phases of Organizational Change
William Bridges said, “Change comes more from managing the journey than from announcing the destination.” He also created a Transition Model to help organizations and people think through and manage the personal side of changes:
I know what you’re thinking… when managing organizational change, how do I skip right to Phase 3? As great as that would be, it’s not reality. And William Bridges explains why: “Change is an event and the transition is a three-phased psychological reorientation process that people go through when they are coming to terms with change.”
Time and effort must be put into each phase. Not doing so will cause more resistance, less buy-in, and can create cultural unrest. Let’s dig into each phase and how leadership should support through the journey:
ENDINGS
The failure to recognize this first phase is the largest single problem in organizational change. All change requires us to let go of something. We can’t expect new behaviors without recognizing that old behaviors must end. Even with positive changes, people can still idealize the old way of doing things. This phase during a major organizational change can show up among staff as anxiety, rumors, complaining and fear.
How to support your people in the Endings Phase:
LISTEN – You need to hear others before they can hear you.
COMMUNICATE – Make sure people know what’s changing. Also help them see what’s not changing.
ADDRESS FEARS – Recognize concerns and let people know what can be done to mitigate worries. Really hear their objections because they may raise an issue that you hadn’t considered before.
CREATE A BOUNDARY EVENT – The old system always tries to pull you back in. Create a boundary event to mark the closure with the old and help people move forward.
NEUTRAL ZONE
Once people realize the change is going to happen, motivation and productivity can drop. People are confused; they have a lot of questions, and often, few answers are clear. People don’t know if they like the change and it’s hard to determine the full impact to them and others. They’re unsure of what they’ll be doing in their new role; this can lead to feeling lost. With this “unknown” comes an opportunity to create. For some, this can be exciting; they can create new possibilities and try on different behaviors.
How to support your people in the Neutral Phase:
PROVIDE STRONG GUIDANCE – People need to see everyone supporting the change.
CELEBRATE SMALL WINS – Create quick wins and positive feedback to show the new path is working, and to disassociate from the old ways.
HAVE PATIENCE – Be understanding with mistakes that you make and your team makes. Patience encourages people to continue to push through the learning curve.
ENCOURAGE PROBLEM SOLVING – Ask people about the challenges that are arising for them and encourage them to brainstorm solutions.
NEW BEGINNING
A new beginning takes place only after one has passed through the Neutral Zone and becomes ready to make an emotional commitment to do things in a new way, and see things differently. This phase involves new understanding, new values, new attitudes and, most of all, a new identity. In the New Beginning, people need to understand the picture, the purpose, the plan, and have a part to play.
How to support your people in the New Beginning Phase:
FOLLOW THE 4 P’S – 1. Paint a picture of how the outcomes will look & feel; 2. Provide a step-by-step plan; 3. Remind people of the purpose; 4. Give each person a part to play.
BE CLEAR AND CONSISTENT – Communicate a reliable, strong message. Be consistent in your own actions and requests.
CELEBRATE SUCCESSES – Organizational change isn’t easy. Let your team know (time and time again) that you appreciate their support and dedication.
Are you in the midst of a change initiative that isn’t going well? Or about to roll out organizational change? REACH OUT TO OUR TEAM to discuss how we help organizations appropriately manage change transitions to protect productivity, morale and the bottom line.
