When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
(Victor Frankl)
The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.
(Harold Wilson)
Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?
(Jesus, Matthew 6:27)
Whenever any organization makes a major change, many of its workers will experience symptoms of what I call “Organizational Change Stress Syndrome” (OCSS). Don’t bother looking it up in a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).[1] The certainty of its existence, nonetheless, is supported by the evidence of increased stress in the lives of people within the organization, from top level management to part-time volunteers and everyone in between.
Long after the changes are instituted, a number of people within the organization will still seem to be struggling with prevailing questions that are asked in a number of different ways.
- How do we get more people on board with the needed changes?
- If this change was so great, then why are we still floundering in many areas?
- If we all really believe in the vision, why don’t we see significant increases in our effectiveness and productivity?
- Why does it take so long to complete the change?
- Why can’t we go back to the way things were?
- Why do some people have to leave the organization to follow their dreams or calling?
- What are we really here for anyway?
- What will it take to make the vision reality?
Alvin Toffler was the first to describe what he called “future shock” in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Too much change in too short a time produces a shock to the individual’s ability to absorb, assimilate and adapt. As the speed of change increases, individuals experience high levels of stress and the inability to adapt quickly enough. This results in reduced productivity and quality of work. Toffler observed that an extremely high degree of future shock can eventually lead to such symptoms as malicious compliance, overt blocking of the organization’s tasks, covet undermining of organizational leadership, or promotion of negativity among other workers. Toffler also coined the term “information overload,” [2] which can compound OCSS.
OCSS affects people at every level in the organization--even those who initiate the changes. Once the changes begin, there are always unforeseen adjustments that must be made. It can be like remodeling a house: once you start ripping out drywall, floors, and ceilings you never know what you may find underneath. And the cost is always more than you anticipated!
I started tracking the number of changes in personnel that were set in motion once when a mid-level manager was asked to fill a new position. That simple change in structure resulted in a total of at least fourteen individuals changing job assignments or having to move over the course of the next two years before the ripple effect finally subsided. And that’s not counting the number of people the manager moved or reassigned once he started his new position. Scores of people felt some direct effect from that simple change in personnel. Some of them had only been in their positions for as little as six weeks before being asked to make still another change in job assignment or location. When an administrative assistant asked me when all the changes would stop, I answered as honestly as I could, “Never. In fact, expect more changes to come even more rapidly in the future. So get ready.”
Change has both a domino and a ripple effect. A specific change might solve one problem, but then the solution often becomes the new problem, or reveals several new problems. The problem is not just the fact that the rate of change is gaining speed. The problem is in our attitude toward the changes we cannot control.
Your organization must learn to become resilient to change and adapt to its changing environment or it will be doomed to ineffectiveness, irrelevance and (ultimately) extinction. Just telling people to “buck up and get over it” is not enough. The most effective leaders are those who understand and use the principles of basic human patterns in response to change as they help the people they lead become more resilient and less resistant to change.[3] Building resilience to change will decrease the effects of OCSS and increase the effectiveness and productivity of the entire organization.
The American Psychological Association suggests the following ways to help build resilience:
10 Ways to build resilience
Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.
Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.
Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly -- even if it seems like a small accomplishment -- that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"
Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.
Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.
Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.
Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.
Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.
Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.
Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.
The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience. [4]
Leadership Hints:
Gather resources you can share with the people you lead to help them build resilience to change (books, pamphlets, websites, or videos).[5] Schedule times for discussion and dialogue to hear how people are feeling and processing change. Don’t fall into the trap of defending the change, just let people process it.
Followership Hints:
One solitary life can make a difference.
- Take an attitude check. Is your negative response to the change related to your self-confidence, self-esteem or self-concept?
- Decide to take a positive step toward being part of the solution and not part of the problem.
(Note: The next articles in this series will describe seven distinct attitudes toward the change and how individuals who demonstrate these attitudes contribute positively or negatively to the effectiveness or productivity of the organization.)
© Dr. Larry N. Gay, March 2010
[1] Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) is a manual published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that includes all currently recognized mental health disorders.
[2] Alvin Toffler, Future Shock (Random House, 1970).
[3] Daryl R. Conner, Managing at the Speed of Change: How Resilient Managers Succeed and Prosper Where Others Fail (Villard Books, 1993).
[4] American Psychological Association, http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx accessed March 17, 2010.
[5] Additional resources on building resilience:
http://www.resiliencycenter.com/ - Several good resources at this site. Be sure to take Dr. Albert Siebert’s Resiliency Quiz.
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson (Putnam, 1998). This classic allegory reveals profound truths about how individuals and organizations deal with change and our search for “Cheese,” the things we want in life.
Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions, by John P. Kotter, Holger Rathgeber, and Peter Mueller (St. Martin's Press, 2006). Another allegory, this fable describes how a colony of penguins faces a threat of survival, teaching business organizations how they can face similar dangers in an eight-step process of change.
Another helpful post. Thanks for sharing these thoughts with us.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Guy.
ReplyDeleteThe theme will get a little touchier (perhaps more personal?) over the next two weeks as we look at attitudes and job dissatisfaction. Discussion or challenges are always welcomed!