10. Understanding Change

3 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Chapter Overview  Understanding and facilitating change is a major task in the leadership process.  Facilitating change is complex, fragile, exhilarating, and rewarding.

4 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Understanding Change  We no longer simply manage change, we now pursue change.  How individuals react to change may take on distinct cultural characteristics, but our ideas of how to facilitate change within organizations vary little across cultures.  Losing control is a common fear of human beings and a common concern when change is introduced.  We often fear the unknown or are unsettled in changes to our patterns and ways of life.  Even individuals or groups who are committed to making change may have an immunity to change due to hidden competing assumptions that become obstacles in the change process.

5 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Change vs. Transition  Change occurs at a specific time and involves something beginning or ending.  A transition cannot be pinpointed to a particular time and always begins with an ending.  Transitions are much more difficult because they are psychological processes that take time to complete.

6 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Managing Change  Four potential resources that can be used to help manage change:  Situation: how you feel about the change, the timing  Yourself: how you view change, your previous history of change and so on  Supports: people and resources that can be of assistance  Strategies for coping: steps taken to proactively engage the change  Understanding how change impacts you and others around you will help you be a more successful leader of change.

7 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Understanding Change from an Individual Perspective As you prepare to facilitate change:  Reflect on patterns of human behavior and how to respond to people’s reactions to change.  Human beings, in general, want to control their environments, and some experience an even greater need to be in control of their surroundings.

8 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Why People are Resistant to Change (O’Toole) 1. Satisfaction 2. Fear 3. Self-interest 4. Lack of self-confidence 5. Myopia 6. Habit

9 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Immunity to Change  In addressing the immunity to change, there are three processes leaders and groups can use in uncovering hidden competing commitments:  Guide the group using questions to uncover hidden commitments.  Ask individuals or members to identify what is at the core of their hidden commitments.  Engage the individual or group members to start the process of changing their own behavior so the group can move toward facilitating the intended change for the organization. Kegan, R. & Lahey, L. L. (2009). Immunity to change: How to overcome it and unlock the potential in yourself and your organization. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.

10 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Immunity to Change  This process is complex and takes time. The power of this model is understanding hidden and competing commitments that can block change efforts.  These competing commitments should be viewed as opportunities for others to learn and grown and not as weaknesses.  What often emerges under these competing commitments is a basic human response of self- protection (big assumptions or “deeply rooted beliefs about themselves and the world around them”).

11 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Questioning Big Assumptions  Notice and record the current behavior.  Look for contrary evidence.  Explore the history.  Test the assumption.  Evaluate the results.

12 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reactions to Negative Change or Changes Individuals Cannot Control  Phase 1: Stability  Phase 2: Immobilization  Phase 3: Denial  Phase 4: Anger  Phase 5: Bargaining  Phase 6: Depression  Phase 7: Testing  Phase 8: Acceptance

13 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Typology of Change Adjustment (I)Isolated Change (II) Far-Reaching Change (III)Transformational Change (IV) LowHigh Low High Depth Pervasivenes

14 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Facilitating Change  Core values are a fundamental driving factor in leading successful change efforts.  Introducing change for the sake of change is contrary to facilitating change based on fundamental values.  A challenge is to help others cope with their uncertainties and fears.  As Rubin, Dierdoff, Bommer, and Baldwin (2009) have found, if the leader(s) are cynical about change, participants in the organization will mirror these attitudes and be cynical about changes.

15 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Eight-Stage Process of Creating Major Change 1. Establishing a Sense of Urgency 2. Creating the Guiding Coalition 3. Developing a Vision and Strategy 4. Communicating the Change Vision 5. Empowering Broad-Based Action 6. Generating Short-Term Wins 7. Consolidating Gains and Producing More Change 8. Anchoring New Approaches in the Culture Source: Reprinted by permission of Harvard Business Review from: “Leading change: Why Transformation efforts Fail” by J. Kotter, 73, 1995

16 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. No matter what approach you take to try to implement change, you must first establish a sense of urgency.

17 Copyright ©2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. “We are much too complacent. And we don’t even know it.”―Kotter