The only thing constant in life is change – and in the workplace, things can change constantly. New procedures are created, projects are assigned, employees leave, and acquisitions take place. Being able to cope with change is essential if you want to succeed in the business world.
To thrive in an environment filled with constant change, it’s important to understand how to harness people’s adaptability to move through disruption and regain resilience with change training. If you can get ahead of change, the result is an organizational culture that embraces change fueled by empowered leadership and employees who feel valued and secure. Leaders should help individuals and teams to recognize the predictable path of transitioning through change can foster innovation and improve business agility.
Change is an ongoing process rather than just one event, and there is a progressive sequence of change behaviors that needs to be experienced and mastered in order to be effective in handling change.
Negative behaviors like denial, apprehension, anger, and resistance are normal and part of the change process, but the progression through the “phases of change” represents an opportunity for growth.
The Four Change Phases
There are four main phases of change. Change moves through the “Change Curve.” Employees should be aware of this curve and work on moving through it more effectively. Sometimes a person may get stuck on one phase, or repeat other ones. The phases are:
- Phase 1 – Denial. When people heart about the change they may be in denial that it is happening and avoid addressing it.
- Phase 2 – Resistance. People may resist the change at first because it is an unknown and they would prefer things to stay the same.
- Phase 3 – Exploration. Exploration happens when they acknowledge their feelings and accept that the change is in fact important.
- Phase 4 – Commitment. Once the person accepts the change, they then commit to it.
At the end of the change phases the employee should be more comfortable with the change. They have had time to accept and get on board with the change, and they are ready to move forward.
Learning More
To learn how to tackle change at work, join subject matter expert and author Dr. Cynthia Scott for an informative webinar called “How to Thrive Through Change” on Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. EDT. This webinar will help you to understand what happens to individuals, teams, and organizations when a change occurs. You will also learn how to lead in a way that minimizes disruption and increases resilience. Register here: https://hrdqu-dev.com/webinars/how-to-thrive-through-change-2020-01-02/.
This webinar is sponsored is based on research from Mastering the Change Curve, which is an easy and effective change management assessment guide for bringing issues to the surface, providing a framework for healthy growth, and empowering individuals to shift their focus from the past to the future. Learn more here: https://www.hrdqstore.com/mastering-the-change-curve.
