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The importance of understanding the dynamics of change by Deborah Donndelinger What has made me a better facilitator? — understanding the dynamics of change and what is predictable when an individual, and an organization, go through change. One model I have found useful is William Bridges’ view of transitions. As he points out in his book, Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change: “It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions. Change is situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, the new policy. Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal.” Three phases Bridges’ model describes three phases of transition: the ending, the neutral zone, and the beginning. The ending is the giving up of the old way of doing things, the former beliefs, the comfortable patterns. People might be in denial or feel betrayed during this phase, especially if they feel they have no choice in the change. Even with positive changes such as moving to a new home, getting married, or getting a new job, there are many things that we need to let go of. For example, when we move to a new home, some of what we are losing might include knowing where to find everything in the closets, driving the shortest way to work, or shopping at our favorite stores. The second phase, the neutral zone, is the period of discomfort when people have started to let go of the old and have not yet embraced the new. During this stage, we might feel anger, depression, confusion, or a low sense of self worth. Think of the first day on a new job. Even if the work is exciting, there is a period of adjusting and questioning. I remember going to facilitate my first class at a new job and I found I had forgotten all my supplies – the basics! Or to stay with the moving example, this is the period when driving to work takes effort, everything is a mess, and we question whether moving was a good idea. It might feel like bad news that this period of unrest is needed to make a transition, however this is a natural time to do some reflecting and consider options, goals and life issues. I believe that the more we struggle with questions in the neutral zone, the more we will commit to the new beginning. The final phase is the beginning. This is when we begin to see the possibilities and feel excited. Back to the example of a new home, this is when we find things about the new house and neighborhood that we like, find favorite new stores, and begin to enjoy settling in. Using this model Bridges’ transition model has application on an individual and an organizational level. I work in a healthcare organization that is facing many changes. We offer several versions of change management workshops to help our workforce understand the dynamics of change and manage the transitions. I also have used Bridges’ work as part of strategic planning and team building sessions and with quality improvement teams to help them understand the change issues related to the topic being studied. Here is what I do: I draw the model on a flipchart and explain the three stages of transition. If the group is going through many changes, I ask them to name them and then pick one to talk about. If it is clear that there is one specific change the group is dealing with, I work with that. Note: I vary the format and have people talk as a group, in pairs, or do written work alone depending on the relationships of who is in the room. This is often a spontaneous decision as I see how people are relating to me and each other. I explain that one way to help us to deal with this change is to spend some time acknowledging the ending. I facilitate a discussion about what is changing, what do we want to keep, and what do we need to let go of. I ask: What is ending? What will we miss? What are we leaving behind, both positive and negative? What are we ready to let go completely? Or is there something we want to keep? If the group has just started dealing with ending issues, I will stop here. If the group is in the neutral zone, I allow time for venting. I ask about how and what support they are getting. I might ask if they feel stuck and what they need to move forward. If there is a sense of being stuck, I have them look at what they can control and influence versus what is out of their control. It is common and very frustrating for people to feel out of control. Other questions include: What do they need to get on with the transition? What are they holding onto? What do they need to leave behind? What can they bring with them? Often setting some short term priorities provides a focus that helps people move. The most important role of the facilitator is to provide an environment where participants feel understood and heard and have time to wrestle with some of these questions. If the group is ready to move, we then talk about new beginnings. What are the beginnings and what are they looking forward to? Normally, this phase is easy to facilitate - the group has energy and is ready to go. One variation for starting out: If a group has a significant history, I have them do a roadmap or a milestone chart of the group. Everyone lists significant events, changes, failures and accomplishments and posts them on a wall. Stepping back and seeing everything can be a relief to a group – they see how much they have been through. Then I lead into the Bridges model. What has worked The major advantage of discussion using a transition model is that it gives people time and permission to say out-loud how they are feeling, to acknowledge what is ending, and to admit to ambivalent feelings. Even in a one-hour session, I have seen people move from high anxiety to a better sense of what their options are. What hasn’t worked If people are really angry and struggling in the neutral zone, it can be painful and turbulent to open up the discussion about transition. I personally struggle with how much venting is helpful and when to move the discussion to considering options. I also feel some obligation to the organization or team leader to move the group, to “get on with it”. This is actually counterproductive because it stops me from actively listening, which is the most essential skill needed. There are different views as to whether people can move through transition faster. Obviously organizations want employees to get back to their high levels of productivity and morale quickly. On the other hand, I believe that each stage does take some time and cannot be rushed. An important tool Working with the cycle of transitions has helped me better understand and work with groups. Trying to focus on accomplishing a task when people are dealing with change issues is pointless; it is far more effective to take some time to acknowledge and explore the effects of change. I consider this aspect of change management a useful addition to my facilitator’s toolkit — maybe you will too. œ HOW TO LEARN MORE I was first exposed to Bridges’ work when I went through Pritchett and Associates Business as Unusual class. Read these books by William Bridges: Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes. © 1993-1999 Copyright All rights reserved