February 28, 2012
(1) COMMENT
Much of the work change practitioners are asked to engage in is symptomatic in nature. It’s our responsibility, not the client’s, to distinguish between indications of problems and the root cause of problems. Doing so sets the stage for interventions at the right level and provides meaningful, sustainable value from our efforts instead of the superficial relief clients tend to ask for.
In this post, I talk about how I answer when clients ask the question, “Can you help us find the alignment we need among senior team members?”
February 21, 2012
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Serving as a professional change facilitator is challenging under any circumstances but this is especially true when attending to people in the midst of deeply emotional, or cathartic, breakthroughs. The intense struggle associated with trying to hold on to the status quo, the anxiety of letting go, and then the difficulties of opening up to new possibilities generates extremely profound emotions that we must be prepared to recognize and respond to properly.
In this post, I include an extensive list of ways we can help others in their emotional journeys.
February 14, 2012
NO COMMENTS
In this three-part series, I am talking about the deep emotion of transformational change, and how to recognize and respond to it. This post addresses the three phases that correspond to letting go of the status quo and migrating to the unfamiliar.
February 7, 2012
(1) COMMENT
The Emotional Side to Facilitating Change
A great deal of emotional investment is necessary to achieve the desired outcome of strategic initiatives, yet most change endeavors emphasize the intellectual components (data reviews, critical activities and milestones, logical presentations, rational decision-making, etc.). That’s understandable—intellectual commitment is easier to come by. People often grasp the implications of a change at a rational level quickly but then find that they need more time and effort to make the necessary emotional adjustments (such as changing relationships with co-workers or a shift in the political landscape).
When emotional accommodation is too far behind the logical acceptance of change, dual—often contradictory—signals are sent by the person facing the transition. This kind of split-level commitment can produce confusion, mixed signals, and ambiguous communication for all involved.
In this three-part series, I will talk about recognizing and responding to the deep emotion of transformational change.
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