Choosing To Change

Organizational and individual transformation is fundamentally a matter of choice:

when people see a clear advantage to change, they choose, on an emotional level, to make a shift.

When faced with change, it can often feel as if you are at the mercy of your environment. Learning to recognize that you have a choice in how you engage with a change provides a sense of empowerment: you can then consider it as you would any other business decision, choosing behaviors that have the most benefit you and your organization. Try the following:

* When faced with a change ask, "What are the benefits? For myself? For my team or company?"

* It is important to note that the choice is not simply whether to change, but also in how to change. How fully will you engage? What will you do to advance the change in your organization?

* Think about a time when you embraced change. Describe the environment and the factors that influenced your behavior. How could you help re-create this environment for yourself? For others?

* Think about a time when you resisted change. What was happening? Why were you resistant? Is there anything that would have made you feel different? What did you ultimately do?

* Challenge yourself to be conscious of your behavior for one full day. Ask yourself, "Why am I choosing this behavior? Is this the best approach, or is there a benefit to operating differently?"

On an organizational level, there are clear advantages to creating environments where people feel safe to change: less resistance to change means faster implementation, greater engagement, and more meaningful, sustainable results. Mechanisms for creating these kinds of environments include:

* Leadership - Senior leaders are instrumental in setting the tone and modeling the behavior for an organization. Have you clearly articulated the case for change (defining the change and outlining its benefits)? Do your actions match your words?

* Communication - Pay careful attention to language, vehicles, and frequency. Are you using language that engages people both emotionally and intellectually? Are you communicating with people in a variety of formats, including face-to-face? Are you sending frequent and consistent messages that encourage the organizational change you are trying to facilitate?

* Reinforcement - Is the change being rewarded in the organization? How? While there may be times when financial incentives are necessary, often the opportunity to develop a new skill, to be recognized in front of one's peers, or even to work toward a greater goal are more powerful motivators.

People do not so much resist change as they resist being changed. However, when people are invited to choose change, they enter the process with energy and creativity, unlocking exciting new possibilities in both the organization and themselves.

by: Mindy Hall

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