Newsletters

Background:

Last month, I promised a newsletter about how people react to change differently. Regardless of how “bought-in” we are (see “Is Buy-In Enough?”), or how well our leaders are leading change (see “Are Your Leaders using their Leadership Skills in Sponsoring their Changes?”), or whether we have our priorities set (see “What do you do now that you are Downsizing?”), people will react differently to changes based on the way they are wired. I encourage Change Leaders and Change Managers to consider how these characteristics apply to themselves and their people.

How are we “wired” differently?

There are several factors that contribute to how we are wired differently than others, independent of the particular change that is facing us. These factors include our age, our change styles and, in some cases, our roles. There is no right or wrong, good or bad to it, it is just the way we are, in general.

Our Age:

As a baby boomer, I identify with people who grew up without as many rapid and simultaneous changes that we see today. I recall seeing:

McDonald’s advertising how many hamburgers it had sold, and I was surprised when that sign under the Golden Arch on the restaurants became electronic. I don’t think they even try to keep up with that number on the outside of the stores today…

The price of gasoline painted on the side of the gas station, and later, a sign with big tin digits that changed whenever the price of gasoline changed – today those sign are also electronic, so they can easily be changed on a daily basis, sometimes even more frequently.

The generation before mine, and some of my friends, worked for the same company for 30-40 years. How many Gen-Xer’s and Gen-Yer’s will experience that?

I grew up in the same neighborhood as my parents, and their parents, within a square mile.

With increasingly younger generations, who grow up with simultaneous, fast-paced action, multimedia, music, full-motion video — and now texting, for instant gratification — there is not only a lack of resistance to change, but a demand for it: “I have been here three weeks, when do I get your job? Why do we still do things this way?” This is not an uncommon set of questions from the twenty-somethings; perhaps they are right.

Our general change styles:

We all have general reactions to change that lean toward one of the following characteristics:

Conservers of the status quo prefer incremental change and like to have all of the details before they change. They’ll change, but not as readily as the following two types.

Originators will change at the mere mention of a change, no details are needed, they prefer one big change to baby steps, and are oftentimes looking for the next change before everyone has made the first one.

Pragmatists are in between. They need to know there is rationale for the change and need to see the plan, and they will fall right in the middle.

None of these are good or bad, right or wrong, and they depend on the situation.

Our role:

Many times, we are put in a position, or role, that requires us to make changes or maintain what we have. Some examples follow:

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The school principal is often put in a position to make improvements, and is at odds with personnel who prefer to maintain their lesson plans and teaching methods.

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The soldier must accept an order and instantly change to protect and serve, as opposed to asking for more details about the command he or she has been given.

Some questions to ponder:

If someone is considering a change, the following questions should be asked:

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Is saying “We’re just holding tight until the economy improves” not, in fact, a change?

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Are our priorities and change plans clear to our people?

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Do we keep attempting changes the same way and expect different results?

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Are our leaders leading our changes?

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Are we making well-founded decisions when we assume people will follow because they “don’t have a choice?”

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Do we know who must make changes and why they might resist?

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Do we rely on communications as the sole means of leading and managing our changes?

Please contact ECM Expert Change Management if you,

or someone you know, would like to discuss the above.

Speaking Topics:

Bob’s recent and planned speaking topics include:

• Financials, Strategic Thinking and Change Management

• Maximize the Results of your Consulting by Managing the Resistance to Change!

• Managing People’s Acceptance, Adoption, and Sustainment of Change

• Developing and Implementing Strategic Ideas; From Seeds to Harvested Results

• The Critical Requirement for Leading, as well Managing, Change

Bob Dodge can be reached at 303 550-0101

bdodge@expertchangemanagement.com

Visit www.expertchangemanagement.com for more information about ECM

and to manage your subscription to Get Acceptance, Get Results! news