P-PG/Prev-LS(2005)2
Making Life Skills work:
Managing and Coping with Change
in Residential Care Facilities for Children
by Amanda POOLE
Council of Europe,
Pompidou Group, June 2005
change, v. /chAnj/
1 : to make different in some particular
2 : to give a different position, course or direction to
3 : to replace with another
4 : to make a shift from one to another
5 : to undergo a modification of
6 : to undergo transformation, transition or substitution
manage, v. /ma-nij/
1 : to handle or direct with a degree of skill or address
2 : to work upon or try to altar for a purpose
3 : to succeed in accomplishing
cope, v. /kOp/
1 : to deal with and attempt to overcome difficulties and problems
2 : to contend or strive, especially on even terms or with success
Table of contents
In today’s rapidly paced society, change is a constant part of our lives. Change is an inevitable and uncontrollable part of life that influences our work ethics and habits. Change can be anything with considerable or minimal effects. Thus, we must not discriminate against change since the scope of its effects is at first unknown.
Change is an effective tool for organisations. Without change, the individuals would become reluctant to formulate new ideas and opinions. They would become stagnant in their work and in their functions, and they would not be able to respond to everyday challenges. For that reason, change requires the individuals of the organisation to constantly modify themselves. We must remember that organisations do not change but rather people do. Change requires us to redefine and reinterpret existing norms and values in order to develop commitments to new ones. With change, a question of how to institute these ideas and opinions becomes apparent.
Fortunately, we can never escape change. It is a fundamental part of our lives. However, functioning with change in organisations will become a necessity if we could formulate methods and strategies for reacting to change. As a result, we must determine what needs to be taken into consideration when dealing with change.
This handbook is divided into two connecting parts: coping with change and managing change. It will present various methods and strategies for dealing with change, while describing the difference between change at an organisational level and change at an individual level. The handbook also addresses how to implement successfully change into the organisation. Change is unavoidable, but the organisation and its members can take charge of it rather than react to it. Ultimately, the organisation will become adept to change, while its members will have a greater understanding of how they can put into practice changes with success and effectiveness.
Nevertheless, we must continue to realise that change is good. We should view change as an opportunity and not as a threat or something to be feared. It is how we manage and cope with change, though, that will eventually determine its potential for the staff members and for the organisation as a whole.
Life skills involve analyses, communication, cooperation, interaction and self-awareness in order to aid individuals in communicating and understanding their own knowledge, attitudes and values. The teaching of life skills will enable the staff members to better manage and cope with change. By understanding and being able to use life skills in an effective way, the individuals will be able to assess their own strengths and weaknesses.
What are Life Skills?
According to the World Health Organisation, life skills are the “abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.” Life skills help promote mental well-being and competence while facing the realities of life. The World Health Organisation categorises the following as life skills:
§ Making decisions and solving problems
§ Creative and critical thinking
§ Communicative and interpersonal relations
§ Self-determination and sympathy
§ Restraining emotions and working with stress
Using Life Skills
It is important to stress that life skills impact behavioural change. The use of various exercises and activities is an effective method to promote healthy behaviour. It is through experience and practice that life skills are applied. This is achieved by constant repetition, reinforcement and reflection. Keep in mind, though, the brain will only remember 10 percent of the message if it is only given once, but the brain will retain 90 percent of the message if it were given five times a day.
Expected results from using Life Skills
By the end of the life skills session, the individuals will possess the following attributes:
§ Effective communication: The individual will be able to recognise the difference between hearing and actively listening to what a colleague has to say. To listen actively, it implies that the individual is able to retain information, thoughts and ideas. The individual will also be able to express him/herself in order to reduce miscommunications and misunderstandings.
§ Self-realisation: The individual will be able to identify both his/her strengths and weaknesses, his/her goals for personal growth, as well as maintaining his/her own individuality while listening to others.
§ Consciousness: The individual will be able to accept the surrounding life as it is, adapt to existing socioeconomic and psychological conditions, be able to make responsible decisions and understand the value of organisational schemes.
Life skills are an effective complement to the change process. The incorporation of life skills into the daily life will help the participants realise their own behaviours and manners, which will aid them while managing and coping with change.
We can all agree that change is natural and an essential part of life. Our initial responses to change, however, evoke instability, stress and uncertainty. We often forget, though, that change is not necessarily a negative process. Change is, more often than not, positive. We also repeatedly overlook the fact that small changes such as losing or gaining weight, new routines or even cutting our hair shorter, can have a significant impact on an individual’s behaviour. Unfortunately, these small changes are greatly underestimated but are just as important. In order to overcome these initial responses, we must rely on our personality, our experiences and our beliefs to help us cope with change.
Impact of change
Read aloud the following example and ask the staff members to imagine this occurring. It is a hypothetical and practical scenario that illustrates how a simple change in daily manners or habits can have an effect on an individual.
v Scenario:
One night you decide to sleep without a pillow—a common object that we often take for granted. Your first reaction is that this is odd and that, because of not having a pillow, you are not going to be able to sleep. During the night, though, you will wake up with a sense of loss and wonder whether you will ever get used to laying your head on the bare mattress. You then realise that it will most likely take you a couple of months before you will feel completely relaxed sleeping without a pillow.
The fact that it will take you a couple of months to get used to sleeping without a pillow illustrates this point exactly: change cannot be rushed. The transformation from one or more circumstances to another takes time. By rushing change, you risk the possibility of creating more challenges rather than dealing with the change itself.
v Individual Exercise: Personal experience
For the next gathering, propose to the individuals that they leave one important object at their home. The object should be something that they use every day, such as a watch or cellular phone. At the end of the session, have them describe how they passed the day without that one important object. How did this change affect their daily routine? For instance, if an individual decided not to wear his watch, did he make it to the session on time? In what other ways did he try to find the time? Did he ask other individuals? Did he try to find a clock? More importantly, how did this minor change in his life affect his behaviour? In the future, does he believe that he will be capable of not wearing a watch every day?
The problem with change, though, is that one change frequently leads to other changes. It is especially evident these days since changes are taking place at such a rapid pace and are often quite sudden. Consequently, it becomes much more difficult to adapt effectively to one change before further changes result. If this is the case, how should an individual cope with change? The following process reveals a method for coping with change that focuses on the individual, while relying on the greater body for support.
Process for Coping with Change
The steps for coping with change were taken from an article entitled “Coping with change” by Caro Handly from http://ivillage.co.uk.
1. Expect a reaction:
Emotions and self-criticism are completely natural and they should not be concealed.
It is worthwhile to share these sentiments, which are natural in the midst of change. Change often implies something new. It is completely normal to be worried, happy, confused or experience other emotions. With change, the outcomes at first are not necessarily apparent.
2. Let yourself reflect:
Whether this change has positive or negative consequences, it automatically entails loss.
A change means that the old ways, or old set of circumstances, are gone. When we reflect, we are essentially beginning to enter the transitional or neutral phase in which we begin to let go of the old circumstances in order to accept the new ones.
Reflection:
Think of a time when you welcomed change. This change could be something personal (i.e. dying your hair), a result of a personal external factor (i.e. death of a friend or family member) or a result of a general external factor (i.e. a new law that was passed to prohibit cell phone use while driving). Write down your experience during the change and your experience after the change. Consider the reasons for why you think you accepted this change. Reflecting upon personal experiences often reveals to us our own strengths and weaknesses.
Now think of a time when you were resistant to change. Again, write down your experience during the change and your experience after. Reflect upon why you think you refused this change.
By writing down your own perceptions of how you dealt with change, you will be able to formulate certain conclusions, such as how well you thought you might have handled it. Share these conclusions with your colleagues in order to create an exchange of ideas and experiences.
3. Go with the flow:
Resistance and rigidity to change often lead to problems with coping.
You must become more flexible and open to change. This by no means, though, implies that you are accepting the change as it is. It merely involves that you are willing to discover what the effects of the change will be.
Anecdote:
Imagine that you are a boat in a storm. If you turn away from the waves, the waves will crush you. If you go with the waves, the waves will carry you to safety.
4. Hold on to the familiar:
Even though a part of your life is changing, there are still parts that remain the same.
If, at times, the change is too overwhelming, rely on the fact that several other factors in your life are not changing. Try to stick to your normal routines and see people that you usually see such as other staff members or children. In the majority of cases, one change may lead to several other changes, but, in truth, not everything changes all at once, or even at all.
5. Get support:
Coping with change is most effective in the presence of others.
You are encouraged to share your feelings, concerns and problems with others, such as your colleagues. Interaction with people that you are familiar with is essential in coping with change. You are still coping with change, while at the same time “holding on to the familiar.” Getting support also includes reassurance.
6. Divide it up:
If the change seems formidable, break it down into smaller parts.
The change, itself, does not have to be tackled all at once. By breaking down the change into smaller parts, you will be able to cope with the change one step at a time. This gives the person a sense of relief, as well as a sense of achievement and makes the process a little easier to handle.
7. Find the good in it:
Some changes, or changes that are in the process of occurring, seem as if they mean the end of the world—but this is just an illusion.
You should know that change is good. Change makes us wiser and stronger and, in the end, helps us to make better decisions. In some respects, change gives us more confidence in ourselves, in each other and in the organisation.
8. Understand that it will end:
All changes reach a conclusion once the new circumstances are put in place and the feeling of normality returns.
Keep this in mind when the changes seem daunting. Remember, change entails a transition or transformation of circumstances from the old into the new. With this being said, the old circumstances must end so that the new circumstances can be employed and utilised.
Encourage the staff members to refer to this coping with change process as often as possible. This process will serve to reassure them whenever they experience challenges with change. Remind them, though, that the process does not have to be used step-by-step. It is just a method for understanding what has been accomplished and what still needs to be addressed.
The Stress factor
Part of coping with change entails recognising stress in its current state and the factors that influence stress. Naturally, when change occurs, individuals will have the tendency to panic, worry or even experience fear. All of these emotions can create tension and anxiety, which nurture stress. In organisations, stress can result from too many demands and pressures that do not correspond to the knowledge and abilities of the individual. By employing good management and good work organisation, stress can be prevented in the work place.
Examples of how stress affects people:
§ Increasing distress and irritability
§ Inability to relax or concentrate
§ Difficulty thinking logically and having trouble making decisions
§ Enjoying their work less and having problems with commitment
§ Feeling tired and depressed
Examples of how stress affects organisations:
§ Decreasing commitment to work
§ Impairing performance and productivity
These are only a sample of the effects of stress. In reality, stress can transpire from many different sources.
The following are elements that should be taken into consideration when addressing stress:
§ Accept that stress exists
§ Assess potential stressors
§ Identify the individuals who are at risk
§ Take the necessary steps to control risk
§ Observe the development
Most importantly, though, colleagues should support each other. Acknowledgement of one another is just as essential as providing assistance. Opportunities need to be exercised that allow individuals to have more participation in decision-making processes, since they are the people who are most affected. The more control the individuals have over their work and the manner in which they do it, the less likely they are to experience stress.
Individual Exercise: Approach to exploring existing risks
Ask the individuals to describe three ‘best’ and three ‘worst’ aspects of their job. Do any of these aspects place them under too much pressure? If yes, are there any strategies for reducing this pressure?
By controlling and reducing stress in organisations, the individuals will become more willing to cope with change, and as a result, they will eventually become capable of managing change in organisations.
Determining personality characteristics
Every individual reacts differently to change. Some individuals are more fearful of change while others are more accepting. In order to tailor to each other’s ability to cope with change, it is useful to determine each individual’s personality characteristic with respect to change reactions. By establishing the individual’s personality characteristic, the individual will be able to identify specifically his/her general reaction to change, as well as recognise how to respond to the reaction itself. Most importantly, though, it must be stressed that regardless of which personality characteristic reflects which individual, it is not a complete representation of one another. It is merely recognition of strengths and weaknesses within the context of change. Ultimately, the objective is to implement change within the organisation based on cooperation, participation and communication from its members.
During an informal gathering of knowledge in which all staff members are present, invite the members to respond to the short questionnaire. Once this has been completed, have the members determine their personality characteristic and then have them share this with their colleagues. Reiterate the fact that no judgments will be made among the individuals. The determination of the individual’s personality characteristic serves only to provide the individual with further knowledge and understanding. It is only a means of obtaining some information as to how that particular individual reacts to change. Sharing this information with colleagues will only provide further communication and understanding among each other. The determination of the personality characteristic is by no means a method for creating isolation among members.
Once the staff members become familiar with each other’s personality characteristics, they will be able to recognise the manners in which their colleagues coped with change. When it is needed, they will be able to provide each other with assistance and support.
Situation assessment questionnaire
Read aloud the five questions and responses to the participants, and have them write down the letter that corresponds to their response. Preferably, you should not distribute copies of the questionnaire. You want to convince the individuals to try to choose the first response that quickly relates to them. In order to try to obtain an accurate result, it is more constructive if the individual does not spend too much time thinking or reflecting on a question. The purpose is to ascertain instant reactions and not long, laborious deliberations.
At the end of the questionnaire, have the participants refer to the list of personality characteristics—along with a number distinction that corresponds to each characteristic. Have the staff members consult this list in order to identify their reactions to change. After this has been completed, have each individual share aloud his/her personality characteristic. Once again, you should reiterate to the participants that the purpose of this activity of acknowledgement is to prompt communication and participation in order to learn more about each other.
Situations
The following situations are purely hypothetical and should be treated in this manner.
1. For this situation, imagine that you smoke on a regular basis: A new law was passed by the government that required all public buildings, including restaurants, bars and businesses, to ban all forms of smoking on their premises. Even specific rooms and areas usually designated for smoking are also prohibited by law. How would you react to this?
A. You believe that the smoking ban will ultimately create more problems, such as violent reactions from the public. You also dread what other laws will be created that reflect this sense of outrageousness. (1)
B. You refuse to accept that this law was passed by a competent government. You believe that the smoking ban is ridiculous and that there are no grounds for its implementation. (2)
C. You are sceptical about whether this law will be followed by the community, and more importantly you wonder how you will be affected if people do not follow the new law. (3)
D. You are already wondering how this ban will be put in place, as well as how it will be enforced. (4)
E. You are concerned with what the outcome of this ban will be for the public and what its consequences are for the future. (5)
2. After years of trepidation, you finally decide to play the lottery. You submit your numbers and receive your ticket. That night you watch the television and discover that, by pure chance, you have won the national lottery.
A. You begin to hyperventilate and your first thoughts are what am I going to do with all of this money, especially since my name will be spread all over the newspapers? (1)
B. You realise that by winning the lottery, you will have many more obligations and responsibilities—all of which you are not ready to confront. (2)
C. You are anxious to receive the money so that you can use it right away. You have always wanted a new Jaguar and now is your chance to buy your dream car. (3)
D. You wonder whether you should take a “lump sum,” which is less money, or receive a larger amount of money over a span of twenty years. (4)
E. You determine that you can do many good things with your winnings once you receive them. You are already deciding to which charity organisations you would like to send a check of support. (5)
3. One day when you were driving home from work, you arrived at a stop light. The light turned from red to green and you began to proceed through the intersection. All of a sudden, a vehicle from your right hits you on the side. You become unconscious and when you wake up, you realise that you are in a hospital with doctors surrounding you. After a few moments, the doctor addresses you. He tells you that you are paralysed from the waist down and that the likelihood of you ever walking again is doubtful.
A. You are gasping for breath and you are in a state of shock. You begin to make savage attacks at others, including your doctors and your family. (1)
B. You do not want to believe it at all. You are speechless because you cannot simply find the words to express your horror. (2)
C. You are still in a state of shock but then you begin to realise all of the things that you will not be able to do, such as walking in a park or riding a bicycle. You realise that you will never be able to walk with your own free will. (3)
D. You begin to wonder about the therapy and treatment that you will have to endure now that you are paralysed. You are still in a state of shock, but you look more at the reality of the situation rather than think about the past. (4)
E. You are still in a state of shock but at the same time, you are attempting to determine how you will have to transform your life. You appreciate the support from family members and the honesty from your doctors. You are beginning to confront the reality of the situation. (5)
4. The day has finally come; you are welcoming a new child into your family. It is your first child and it has taken many years of waiting for this miracle to occur.
A. You are very anxious because you realise all of the responsibilities that you are going to have to endure now that you are a parent. (1)
B. You are overwhelmed with joy and at the same time a little bewildered because you have never taken care of a child before. (2)
C. You are filled with happiness and you find yourself constantly making sure that you are not disappointing your child. You want him/her to have the best life that you can offer. (3)
D. You are thoroughly excited and you look forward to buying him/her toys, clothes, food and so forth. You are already deciding on how you are going to reorganise you life so that you can spend as much time with your child as possible. (4)
E. You are already envisioning great things for your child. You are focused on all of his/her potentials, and you desire to know how you can help him/her achieve them. (5)
5. A small plummet in the national economy has caused your company to reduce the salaries of its employees by a small percentage. Every employee still has a job at the industry, but the salaries will have to decrease so that layoffs do not occur.
A. Even though the company will not have any layoffs, you are still worried that you may be fired. You begin to become reclusive because all you can think about is the word ‘plummet’ and its correlation with job loss. (1)
B. You are in a state of bewilderment. You do not understand why there was a salary cut and not any layoffs. As a result, this causes a large amount of stress for you. In fact, you become sceptical about the situation. (2)
C. You want to know why everyone in the company had to receive the same percentage of reduction in salary. You see yourself as a dedicated worker and should not be a recipient of the salary reduction. You believe that the salary decrease is unfair and victimises the hard-workers. (3)
D. You first speculate about how much of a loss this will incur on your budget. After, you begin to determine how this will affect your monthly bills and what areas of your life you will have to modify in order to accommodate this small loss in finance. (4)
E. You view this financial cut as a challenge. Until the economy gets better, you already see yourself spending less and finding other alternatives for using your money. (5)
After the questions have been read and the individuals have chosen the corresponding responses, read aloud the corresponding number of points for each response. Once this has been completed, have the individuals total the number of points so that they can refer to the list below. The total number of points will reveal to them their personality characteristic.
5: Fearful
6 – 10: Defiant
11 – 15: Insistent
16 – 20: Involved
21 – 25: Goal-oriented
|
Personality Characteristic |
Description |
Reaction |
|
Fearful |
These individuals respond to change with intense fear. Their paranoia can lead to a complete withdrawal from other colleagues. In some instances, the individuals will feel the need to make verbal attacks that are out of proportion in order to try to alleviate their fear. |
Keep as much of these individuals’ routine the same since any type of change (either large or small) will be terrifying to them and their reactions may be extreme. These individuals are very fragile. Ensure that the individuals remain involved with the process and that they are not completely sheltered from the change. |
|
Defiant |
These individuals are confused, overwhelmed, disoriented and resistant to change. Unexpected changes cause these individuals to panic. As a result, they may become overly stressed or even belligerent towards others. They may also simply refuse to accept the change and withdraw from their colleagues. |
Designate a colleague as a “parent” figure to help these individuals cope with change. The “parent” figure is responsible for helping the individual feel safe and secure with the changes, as well as helping them adjust to the changes at a pace that they can manage. |
|
Insistent |
These individuals enjoy change, but only under certain conditions. They enjoy change because there are benefits that specifically apply to them. However, if the change is not a benefit to them, they will become defensive and try to blame others. |
Continue to maintain the individual’s self-worth during the change. Invite the individual to take part in the change process. Guarantee the individual that he/she has an important role in the process. Help the individuals to realise that there is value in interacting with others. |
|
Involved |
These individuals actively initiate change and accelerate it. They are more concerned with how to implement change and the process for doing this, rather than with the result and effects of change. |
Make these individuals an integral part of the process of managing change. These individuals will also want to help others cope with change. It is worthwhile to pair them with an individual who is expected to have more difficulty coping, such as a “fearful” or “defiant” individual. |
|
Goal-oriented |
These individuals initiate change and then accelerate it. However, they are more concerned with the result and its effects. They find potential in the change at the end of the process rather then during the process of implementation. |
Include these individuals in the process of managing change. These individuals understand change and are a calming presence for people at other levels. It is also very productive to pair them with an individual who is expected to have more difficulty coping with change, such as a “fearful” or “defiant” individual. |
The management of change is the responsibility of everyone who works within the organisation. With this in mind, it is essential to have communication and participation from every individual. Everyone must be engaged, somehow, in the change process. An uninformed public can merely react to change rather than take the necessary steps to do something about it. Through interpersonal training and communication, cultural sensitisation will encourage the individuals to respond to changes in society rather than merely react to them.
Principles:
- Communication & Participation: To create a sense of confidence between members, and to involve members during the change process.
- Understanding: To recognise and analyse the factors that accompanies change.
- Resistance: To determine the challenges to change.
- Reinforcement: To strengthen and reflect upon the change.
Communication & Participation
Communication is essential during change management. The members of the organisation are the people who are most affected by change. Members must continue to have quality dialogue between each other. Communication has the ability to facilitate innovation and problem solving skills through diverse perspectives and views. These aspects are greatly beneficial when implementing change. Change, itself, is based on the communication of quality information. It is through an exchange of quality dialogue and quality information that will eventually provide insight pertaining to the change.
A sense of transparency also needs to be established within the organisation. This could be in the form of structures or programmes implemented in order to discover what support needs to be provided for people in order to manage their own reactions to change. In other words, members should express their fears, worries and expectations for change.
For instance, programmes such as “listening posts” could be created in order to listen and learn from each other and to determine any difficulties that the change is generating. These “listening posts” could also serve as a social gathering or as an opportunity for informal discussions. With constant communication, a somewhat stable environment can be established in which the organisation will become less prone to abrupt or major changes. In other words, if members continue to communicate their anxieties, stress, and worries, the organisation will be more capable of effectively handling a situation or problem that could arise in the future.
Interdisciplinary projects are also another method for increasing communication and participation within the organisation. These projects would introduce fresh ideas and knowledge to the organisation, as well as providing an opportunity for the members to appreciate each other’s efforts. These examples of open lines of communication will encourage trust among the members and begin to establish a notion of solidarity.
Engaging individuals in the change process is extremely important. The repercussions for not involving the individuals can be grave. They become confused, apprehensive and discouraged by change. By continuing to maintain contact with individuals, they will reach an understanding that will aid them during the management of change.
As part of the change management process, you should engage the “insistent,” “involved” and “goal-oriented” individuals as key support bodies to assist the “defiant” and “fearful” individuals. Their knowledge and ability to cope with change will benefit the change process at the individual level, while providing support for the greater organisation.
Understanding
This is perhaps the most important step for managing change. You have already created an environment of communication while involving all who are affected by change. As a result, you have a “climate” where opinions and suggestions are welcomed. The third principle of “understanding” focuses on the change itself, whereas beforehand the focus concerned the individuals. It is important to recognise the factors that influence change so that the given change can be successfully managed.
1. Identify the change stimulants
A stimulus for change is considered an input to a system. The sources for these stimuli are numerous and involve a departure from the norm. For example, external sources could include technological developments, a fluctuating economy, social insecurities, political factors and/or environmental factors. Examples of internal sources could include the amount of workload, lack of defined requirements and/or the disengagement of individuals. In fact, the external and internal sources are mutually connected, since they affect each other.
The stimulus for change does not bring about change, but rather it provides the motivation and pressure for change to occur. Thus, it is necessary to try to identify correctly the change stimuli. Otherwise, for instance, time may be wasted or further problems may be created that could have been recognised beforehand. By distinguishing the stimulus for change, participants will be able to begin to comprehend the origin of the change—such as stemming from strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and/or threats—and become more aware of it in the future. Furthermore, the identification of change stimuli will determine whether changes need to be made at an organisational level or at the individual task and procedure level.
2. Analysis: Influences of change
Once the change has been identified, the simple diagram below can be employed which weighs the pros and cons of the specific change. Its objective is to reinforce the forces in favour of change, while minimizing the forces of opposition. At the end, have the individuals share their conclusions with each other.
Forces FOR change Forces AGAINST change
Application:
In the large rectangular box, write down the change whether it has occurred, not occurred or is in the process of occurring. In the arrows to the left, write down the factors or influences that will support the change. After this has been completed, write a corresponding number next to each arrow in the small square. From a range of 1 (weak) to 5 (strong), write down the size of each force. In other words, how much of an impact will this force have in relation to the change? In the arrows to the right, write down the factors or influences that will create opposition to the change. Write down the size of each force from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong). The purpose of this exercise is to illustrate to the individual what he/she believes to be forces of support and forces of opposition. The overall objective is to increase the forces for support while decreasing the forces of opposition.
Remember to let the individual know that he/she does not have to fill in every single arrow and that arrows can be added as well. This is merely a sample that can be utilised.
Resistance
It is quite common for individuals to have anxieties with regard to change. The word, itself, connotes many different responses. However, by realising these possible responses, the individuals will be able to begin to understand how to overcome, or at least ameliorate, their reaction to change.
§ Psychological reasons
Uncertainty, lack of confidence, anxiety, stress, confusion
The psychological reasons for resisting change are numerous and vary according to each individual. These are the most common forms of psychological distress that surface amidst change. For instance, some individuals believe that the change is unjust, while others question its appropriateness. Even more, others feel that the change could actually impose psychological damage to themselves or to the organisation. These psychological barriers usually stem from their self-esteem and their self-image.
§ External concerns
The individuals feel overwhelmed. Too many factors in society exist which have an effect on the daily lives of individuals and, thus, it is difficult to gauge the benefits and/or consequences of the change.
§ Social reasons
The individuals are reluctant to admit any outside factors that could disrupt the existing structures and temperaments of the organisation.
§ Technical reasons
The individuals worry that the change will damage their ability to perform their job efficiently and effectively, or they have fear that the new work demands will be too challenging.
§ Political reasons
The individuals continue to rely on applying “yesterday’s” solution to “today’s” problems. However, solutions and strategies that may have worked in the past may no longer be applicable in today’s organisations. In certain circumstances, it may be tempting for some individuals to consider that similar strategies will automatically produce the same results.
§ Cultural reasons
Individuals are reluctant to change because they remember in the past when change was implemented and resulted in failure. They continue to embrace resentment and are distrustful of change.
§ Organisational reasons
These individuals are confused and experience uncertainty because of conflicting mandates that frequently accompanies change.
Remedying the resistance to change
Since the resistance to change is most of all an internal factor, it is valuable to introduce a transitional phase. First, the individuals must realise that it is necessary to leave behind the old way in order to institute the new way. The following are three important stages:
1. An ending
2. A neutral zone
3. A beginning
The ending stage requires the acknowledgement that something has ended. We have to let go of the old in order to profit from the new.
The neutral zone encompasses several aspects. This stage is characterised by confusion, disorientation and distress. Individuals are encouraged to reflect but not in a definite manner. At the same time, though, this is the stage when new ideas are being created and developed.
The final stage of the transitional phase is the beginning. This is when we reintegrate our new identity with elements from the old. It is during this phase that we begin a new system, project, objective, relationship and/or self-image.
It is important to undergo all of these phases in the exact order, even though we often feel the urge to jump ahead to the beginning stage. For an effective implementation of change, we must first let go of the past so that we can successfully move towards a new beginning.
Reinforcement
The final aspect of managing change is reflecting upon the change process. This should be done at both the individual and organisational level in the condition that everyone participates. It is more beneficial if the individuals assess how they perceived the change process with respect to themselves and to the organisation as a whole. The act of reflection allows the individuals to assess the process, thus far, which will prepare them for the subsequent change. Individuals should ask themselves:
- What were the strengths during the process?
- What limitations or difficulties existed?
- What improvements could be made?
- Were there any ambiguities?
- What aspects were useful?
The questions that you pose to yourself and to other colleagues should not be limited to negative connotations. It is important to recognise the positive aspects, as well. Those aspects that worked well should be further developed so that they are not restricted to the existing change.
While observing and reflecting upon change, the individuals should address the following conclusions:
Organisational culture: The individuals realised that change in organisations was more than rearranging structures. Instead, real change required a change in organisational cultures. This was a result of adjusting individuals’ behaviours and by diversifying basic assumptions about how an organisation conducted itself. Essentially, the attitudes of the staff members, their shared beliefs about the organisation and their shared value systems played an important role during the change process.
Innovation and problem solving: The individuals recognised the importance of both contributing and listening to diverse perspectives and views during the change process. These contributions served to broaden possibilities and provided practical insights regarding change.
Institutional building: The individuals considered themselves integrated in the change process, and they viewed their role as an intrinsic part of the process.
Through a combination of managing and coping strategies, the organisation and its members will be able to implement effectively the potential of change. In order for change to be a complement to organisations, the members must realise its possibilities instead of fearing what may or may not occur.