Why do we resist change? By Tracy L. Chenoweth

F.A.C.T The only one who like change is a wet baby. (haha)

Change is Inevitable It is often said that the only things in life that are inevitable are death and taxes. Well, you can add a third item to the things that are inevitable, and that is change. And change is happening faster than at any time in human history.

History Lesson When the Berlin Wall came down and the Worldwide Web went up, the world changed forever. The Industrial Age came to an end and the Communication Age began. If “the good old days” ever did exist, they are gone forever. We are caught up in a perpetual motion of change, swirling all around us, that we will never be able to avoid. In other words, this rate of change is here to stay.

Acceptance To deal effectively with change you cannot let it frustrate or upset you. You cannot attempt to minimize or avoid change. Instead, you have to learn how to deal with change, and use it to your advantage. It begins with acceptance. Change is an essential element of life itself, yet we almost instinctively resist it. Most people believe that if they ignore change, it won’t happen. That if they ignore change, somehow time will turn back to the way things were years ago. But that is not going to happen.

Things are Moving Quickly Change is occurring so quickly, in fact, that we no longer have the luxury of adapting to it gradually. Instead of resisting change, we have to develop the habit of welcoming and working with it. The future belongs to those who anticipate change and have a plan to respond to it. We’ll never be able to completely control change, but we can manage our participation in it and our reaction to it.

Flexibility The most valuable quality your can ever develop to deal with change is flexibility. You must form the habit of remaining open-minded and adaptable to new information and circumstances. When things go wrong and problems come up, as they often do, instead of becoming upset and frustrated, look for the benefit that is always contained in the change.

Focus Whenever an unexpected change or setback occurs, successful people immediately focus their mind on where they want to be at a future time. This future vision is something that he or she has planned and given a lot of thought to, so it is fairly easy to conjure up at a moment’s notice.

Control Another critical issue in dealing with change is having control. Most of your stress and unhappiness in life comes as a result of feeling out of control in a particular area in your life. If you think about the times or places where you feel the very best about yourself, you will notice a high degree of control in those places. One of the reasons why you like to come home after a trip is because, after you walk through your front door, you feel completely in control of your environment.

All in Your Mind The only thing you have complete control over is content of your conscious mind. So, for you to effectively deal with change, you must have full control over thoughts. Since change is inevitable and continuous, it is how you think about what is happening to you that will be the most important factor in determining how change will affect you. How you think about what is happening to you will determine whether you will use change to your advantage or let it work to your disadvantage.

So, Why do we resist? One word…Fear.

Fear of failure Resistance to change may be rooted in fear. During periods of change, some employees may feel the need to cling to the past because it was a more secure, predictable time. If what they did in the past worked well for them, they may resist changing their behavior out of fear that they will not achieve as much in the future.

Creatures of habit Doing things in the same routine, predictable manner is comfortable. Asking people to change the way they operate or think is asking them to move outside their comfort zone. "We've always done it this way, so why do we need to change?" becomes the rallying cry for people who have difficulty changing their routines. In some cases, employees may ignore or deny the change simply because it requires them to experience something beyond their normal method of operation.

No obvious need Some employees may see a change only from the perspective of the impact it has on them and their particular jobs. Not seeing the big picture, they may fail to recognize the positive impact of the change on the organization as a whole. Thus they may find the change disruptive and totally unnecessary. Their attitude may be, "If things have been working well all this time, why do we need to change?" or, in other words, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”

Loss of control Familiar routines help employees develop a sense of control over their work environment. They feel they know what works and what doesn't, and this makes them confident about their contribution to the organization. Being asked to change the way they operate may make employees feel powerless and confused.

Concern about support system Employees operating within predictable routines know their support system will back them up during challenging times. Changing the organizational structures may shake their confidence in their support system. They may worry about working for a new supervisor, with new employees or on unfamiliar projects because they fear that if they try and fail, there will be no one there to support them.

Closed mind Some employees seem to have the attitude, "Please don't confuse me with any facts or supporting documentation about this change--I've already made up my mind!“ Employees with this attitude approach the change process with their minds firmly made up, muttering, "No way!" during discussions and explanations of the future.

Unwillingness to learn Some employees, hesitant to try new routines, express an unwillingness to learn anything new. They may say, "I already know all that I need to know." Like resistant employees who have already made up their minds that the change won't be productive, employees reluctant to learn something new impede the organization's growth and adaptation to change. They also hinder their own personal growth and development.

Fear that the new way may not be better If things have been going well, some employees may resist change because they fear that the change will not result in improvement. Focusing only on their part of the operation, they fail to realize that change is needed in order for the organization to stay competitive. They may resist forward movement because they are satisfied with the way things are going. Their current status is quite sufficient, and they wish to maintain business as usual.

Fear of the unknown Employees may resist change simply because it is something unfamiliar. Not knowing much about the specifics of the change, they may imagine a worst case scenario, which can be very scary. They let fear of the unknown become their rationale for not giving the change a chance. These employees may acknowledge that a problem exists and agree that a change might improve it. However, they worry that the proposed change might actually make things worse! Their fear causes them to place roadblocks in the movement toward change.

Fear of personal impact Viewing change from a personal standpoint, some employees may respond by asking how the change will benefit them directly. Will it make their job easier? Will they have to work harder? Will the change put their job security in jeopardy? Will the change force them to work with different people or learn a new job?

How to Deal With Change We all experience moments of change in our lives. In can be a tragedy, like the folks in Louisiana coping with the effects of a major disaster, or it can be something good, like me getting married. Sometimes we force change and sometimes it’s forced upon us. Change comes in all shapes and sizes and can be a very disruptive force in our lives.

Even small changes, like a rip-roarin’ summer, can throw us out of balance. Sometimes it’s as simple as a routine, or good habit, being broken. If enough time has passed and enough disruption has occurred, it can be hard to get back on track. Part of a maintaining a good work/life balance is taking a break now and again. The problem lies in that sometimes, a break is such a disruption you can lose momentum in various aspects of your life.

A holistic approach to handling change Clean and order your living and work areas. One of the most stressful and disruptive things you can deal with is a messy and chaotic home or office. It’ll hang over your head and be a constant reminder of something that’s a roadblock to normalcy.

A holistic approach to handling change Do mundane tasks first. Need to take out the trash, or do some laundry? Do those things as quickly as you can. They’ll help you feel ordered and like your making progress.

A holistic approach to handling change Schedule a daily routine and stick to it. Try and give yourself some regular tasks to do every day. Try and wake up at the same for a few weeks. Get a rhythm going.

A holistic approach to handling change Eat well. Avoid junk food and eat regular meals.

A holistic approach to handling change Get some exercise. When your experiencing change, even if it’s back to something you consider normal, you will experience stress. Exercise, hopefully as part of your daily routine, can really help take your mind off things.

A holistic approach to handling change Make sure you’re sleeping well. When dealing with change you’re body and mind will need time rest. Make sure you take time to sleep.

A holistic approach to handling change Keep talking and keep laughing. Changes can be hard on people, even good changes. Talking about things and taking time to have a little fun can make a world of difference.

A holistic approach to handling change Ask for help if you need it. No one should go through changes alone.

A holistic approach to handling change Try and think positively. Depending on the kind of changes you’re experiencing, this can be very hard, but do your best. A positive way of thinking can make a really big difference.

It is Hard Work It requires effort to keep up with change. It calls for will power, determination and persistence. It takes courage to step out of self-imposed limitations and to face your true self. It also requires an open mind, patience and flexibility to recognize the many opportunities that life is continuously offering you. The focus is, therefore, on none other than the ‘Self.’

It is Hard Work No transformation is possible unless you can face and accept your inner true self with all your weaknesses and your strengths. Transformation on the outside is the result of transformation on the inside. Whatever phase of change is confronting you, there are only two choices. You either choose to be passive, stubbornly ignoring and change or you can actively take matters into your own hands and take control of your life.

The 18 skills of change: Anamnesis: The skill of keeping touch with what is deep and constant in the midst of change. Listening: The skill of truly hearing the other: Joining: The skill of temporarily experiencing the world from the other's point of view. Penetrating: The skill of seeing that the presenting symptom is often not the real problem. Turning to the outside: The skill of staying out of the way of the change until you can get at it from a better angle. Big vision: The skill of seeing the forest.

The 18 skills of change: Hang time: The willingness to stay in the moment of ambiguity. Wholeness: The ability for an organization, an individual, or a community to move as one. Knowledge: The understanding of how change works. Aligning the center: The skill of lining up who you are with what you do every day - the decisions you make, how you spend your time, what you offer to people.

The 18 skills of change: Rhythm: The skill of knowing when to move. Zanshin: the skill of sustaining relationships. Shifting Focus: The skill of rapidly and cleanly shifting focus, being fully present with what is in front of you, and able to fully set aside what is not the present task. Acting in uncertainty: The skill of being able to move with insufficient data. High overwhelm quotient: The willingness to take on "too much."

The 18 skills of change: Internal Drive: The skill of finding joy in the doing, not just in the result. Capacity For Paradox: The skill of entertaining two opposing ideas at the same time, as the rafts-man maintains his balance in the midst of the rushing river - not because of the river or in spite of the river, but with it. Market sense: The skill of finding the opportunity in the crisis.

Some Styles of Reaction to Change Go Along- be pulled along by change, muttering and griping Adapt- change your ways so that you fit in with the change Resist- fight to make the change go away, or adapt to you Avoid- get out of they way of change, if you can Manipulate- lead the change and make it do what you want it to do. Deny- ignore the change and pretend that it’s not there.

Which Style Do You Follow? Go Along Adapt Resist Avoid Manipulate Deny

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in A POETIC INTERLUDE: AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS by Portia Nelson I walk, down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in I am lost.... I am helpless It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again I can't believe I am in the same place but, it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it there.' I still fall in.... it's a habit, my eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

I walk down another street!

The End Question and Answer Session