This document provides an overview of a change management workshop agenda. It discusses what change is, how people react to change, and how to manage transitions. The key points covered are:
1) Change is a natural part of life but can be difficult for people to accept. It causes transitions as people let go of the old and adjust to the new.
2) When facing change, people typically experience emotions like shock, denial, depression, and anxiety. They also resist losing aspects of the familiar old situation.
3) To cope with change, it is important to identify what is being lost and gained, experience grieving over losses, and recognize that confusion is normal during transitions. Small actions can help empower
4. What is Change?
Everyday we see change
in nature as day
Change is a natural becomes night and
part of life night becomes day
Every year we see
change as one season
turns into another
As we age our lives
change all the time
5. Change Is Normal and Necessary
Change is an essential element of the
world and it must be accepted
Change is also an opportunity for self-
motivation and innovation
6. Our Reactions To Change
Adapting to change is about accepting
our grief over what we are letting go of
Change affects everyone differently;
there is no “normal”
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7. Remembering Change
Think of a change you have experienced
• Did you feel threatened, confused or angry at the time?
• Did it open up new insights, opportunities, and/or possibilities?
• Did you have moments of anticipation and energy?
Success stories are important:
• Do you have a success story to share?
• What did you do to help yourself through it?
• What did those around you do to help you?
• Is there anything you wish people would have done that they did
not do?
10. Resistance to Change
Why do people resist change?
What do people resist some changes and not others?
What might they perceive they will be losing?
What might they gain?
12. Actually Change Is Not The Problem
Change is situational
New site, new team roles, new policy
Transition is the psychological process people go
through to come to terms with the new situation
Basically change is external while transition is internal
13. The Power of Change
TRANSITION: THE WAY TO PREPARE
FOR CHANGE
14. Transition
Unless transition occurs change will not work
Change is about the outcome
Transition in not about the outcome
Transition is about the ending that you will have to make
to leave the old situation behind
15. Transition
Occurs even in the “good” changes
Involves letting go of the old reality
To transition we must understand what it is we are
letting go of
In other words transition starts with an ending
16. The Truth About Transition
Change + Human Beings = Transition
To come through
it successfully you
Transition cannot Transition can be
must manage
be avoided managed
each stage of
transition
17. The Transition Cycle
There are three stages involved in any transition:
1. An ending stage
– We let go of something stable, known, and dependable
2. A middle neutral zone
– We are forced to hang in mid-air, without orientation to the past
or the future
3. A beginnings stage
– We plunge headlong into a new way and a new future
18. Stage 1: Letting Go
To properly transition you must understand what you are
letting go of
This can include giving up:
Groups or Ease of
Feelings of Habits and teams you getting
Networks Etc.
confidence routines are apart things
of done
19. Stage #2: The Neutral Zone
Understanding what comes after letting go
The space between the old reality and the new
one
The time when the old way is gone and the
new way does not feel good yet
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20. What is The Neutral Zone
It is like winter when the old growth returns to the soil awaiting
the rebirth of spring
Like winter:
It is when the old habits are no
It is both a dangerous and longer applicable to the new
opportune place process and the new ones have
not been formed yet
21. Understanding the Neutral Zone
• You cannot rush through this or escape the zone
– Escaping prematurely will block the change and result
in a loss of opportunity
– If you try to avoid this phase you will stop the
transition
• The neutral zone is a time for creativity, renewal
and development
• Confusion is normal and is not a sign that
something is wrong with you or the change
22. Normalize the Neutral Zone
• The neutral zone is not a meaningless place.
– It is a time people figure out how things will get done
in the future
– A time filled with creativity where everyone’s input is
needed and valid
– A time of group bonding and brainstorming
• If time is given for this phase and people are
encouraged to input ideas then the transition will
be smooth
23. Stage 3: The New Beginning
• The end of the neutral zone is a new
beginning
• The new beginning only happens if people
have transitioned by:
– Letting go
– Reflecting and brainstorming in the neutral zone
24. The New Way
This is the new
People may reality and if
This may seem have flash people embrace it
they will feel the
like a dream at backs to the same
first way things confidence, relaxa
were before tion and joy they
did before
25. The Power of Change
HOW TO COPE AND MOVE
THROUGH CHANGE
27. Identify What is Actually Changing
Yourself
• What are you looking at in the big picture?
• How does this affect your everyday reality?
– Do not generalize
• i.e. “I’ll be busier”
– Be specific
• i.e. “I will not have time to get all my work done by 3
o’clock when I go home”
28. Ask Specific Questions
Be specific for each category below
and describe exactly what will be
different:
What are the
What are the In each case
further
What is secondary above who
changes the
actually going changes that will have to
secondary
to change? this change let go of
changes will
will cause? what?
cause?
29. Decide on What is Really Over For You
What are you going to have to let go of?
• What is over for you?
• What are you going to lose in the transition?
It may be difficult to see clearly and describe this
accurately
You are likely to react with denial
30. Transition Losses
Losses are internal
feelings, views, understandings, assumptions and self-
images
Remember change is external
What you lose is actually part of yourself
31. List Possible Transition Losses
Examples of transition losses include:
• A dream that has motivated you in your life and
career
• An understanding about your relationship with
your organization
• A belief you had about the value you and your job
bring to the organization
• Faith you have in yourself, your competency, your
honesty and your ability to influence outcomes
32. The Pain of Loss
Loss hurts so the best clue is pain
What hurts most is the current change
Spend time letting yourself experience these feelings
33. The Grieving Process
• You need to grieve for the change that is
occurring
– Signs of grieving can involve
anger, sadness, fear, depression, confusion etc.
• This is a natural sequence of emotions people go
through when they lose something that matters
to them
• You must expect and accept these emotions as
part of the process
34. Distinguish Between Current Losses
and Old Wounds
• Sometimes a current issue triggers past issues to
arise:
– When this happens there is more tension
– Your past may make you more vulnerable to the
current issue
• Having knowledge of this can help you to let go of
negative emotions by helping you to understand:
– Which emotions are related to past events
– Which emotions are a result of the current change
35. Identify What is Not Changing
• Not everything is changing!
– A lot of your work and your life will remain the same
• Only a piece of your life is coming to an end
– Make a list of the things that are not changing
– List the things you have lost track of, things like old
interests, relationships & recreational activities
– Think of how to restore and protect these parts of
your life
– What can you do to reinforce these things?
36. Change Can Bring Insight
Sometimes you
• Maybe you need to rethink how you
realize things spend your time
have not been • You may need to get in touch with
in balance and someone again
you need to • You may need to return to a group
spend more you have lost touch with
times in other • You may need to do things to take
better care of yourself
areas of your • Etc.
life
37. Recognize the Symptoms of the
Neutral Zone
The neutral zone is a confusing place where:
• You may feel empty, dead, flat etc.
• You may have fantasies of quitting
• You may feel hopeful one day and sad the next
You must keep going forward
• You must keep doing the necessary things at home and work
Remember what you are feeling is normal and there is
nothing wrong with you
38. Be Creative in the Neutral Zone
• The neutral zone is a time to examine your life
– Consider possibilities you would not normally consider
– Look for new ways of doing things and new
friendships or networks
– Create a list of possibilities for your life
– Experiment a little every day to do things differently
• i.e. take a different route to work, have lunch in a new
way, move your desk, plan your weekend differently etc.
• Making small movements is a way to feel
empowered in the neutral zone
39. The Four Rules to Face Change
1. Show up
– Get through the fear and just show up for event or the
change
2. Be present
– Bring all your energies to the table
– Do not just put in your time
3. Tell the truth
– Avoid saying what you think you should say
– Tell the truth
4. Let go of outcomes
– We cannot control what will happen
– We must accept the outcome
40. The Power of Change
HOW TO ASSIST OTHERS TO
CHANGE
41. Accept the Subjective View of Others
It is important that
Remember what is
you allow others an
loss to one person
opportunity to
may not be loss to
react in their own
others
way
42. Overreactions are O.K.
• Do not be shocked by the overreactions of others
– People need time to adjust
• Remember:
– Change causes transition which means a sense of loss
and it is this sense of loss (not the change) people are
reacting too
– A piece of their world is being lost so have compassion
43. Acknowledge the Losses Openly
Bring the losses into the open
Acknowledge them and express your concern for
those who are suffering
Do this simply and directly
44. Expect and Accept Signs of Grieving in
Others
We must expect and accept the following
emotions:
• Anger, sadness, fear, depression, confusion etc.
Remember these are the natural sequence of
emotions people go through when grieving
45. Be Aware of Denial
• Denial is a natural first stage in the grieving
process
– It is a way in which hurt people protect themselves
from the first impact of loss
• Denial is healthy and normal if it does not last too
long
– If it continues for a long time you should check in with
them and let them know you are concerned for their
well-being
46. Nothing Personal
Treat all emotions
seriously but remember
you have not
personally caused these
Grieving emotions
people have
many
Avoid getting defensive
emotions
Avoid argument
47. Tools to Assist Others: Anger
• Anger
– Listen
– Acknowledge that the anger is understandable
– Don’t take on blame if it is directed at you
– Distinguish between acceptable feelings and
unacceptable acting-out behaviors
• “I understand how you feeling but if you continue in
this way you will hurt the whole team”
48. Helping Others: Bargaining
Bargaining is the unrealistic attempts to get out of the
situation or make it go away by wanting to make deals
with management
Avoid being
pulled by
Help them to desperate
Help the person
understand the arguments or by
to see the real
change has and is strategies that the
situation
happening person thinks
should have been
used
49. Helping Others: Anxiety
Anxiety (silent
or expressed) is • Remember anxiety is natural
a realistic fear • Avoid making people feel bad
about it
of an unknown
future which • Show empathy for their fears
but keep giving the person
can result in information to help them see
catastrophic that the future is not so bad
projections
50. Helping Others: Sadness
Sadness is
the heart of
• Encourage people to
the grieving say what they are
process and feeling
includes • Share your feelings too
everything • Empathize
from silence
to tears
51. Helping Others: Disorientation
Disorientation • Give people extra support
includes and attention
confusion, forg • Give people the
etfulness, feeli opportunity to express it
ngs of being • Reassure them the
lost and disorientation is natural
insecurity and that others feel it too
52. Helping Others: Depression
• Depression includes feelings of being
down, flat, dead, hopeless and being tired all the
time
– The first step is to realize you cannot make it go away
• People have to go through it, not around it
– Show them you understand and even share some of
the same feelings
– Help them to focus on the work that needs to be done
– Remind them on the things they still have control
over
53. Basic Principles in Assisting Others
Not everyone experiences all these emotions
Help others to see they can accept the situation and
move forward
Do not suppress your feelings or ask others to do the
same
Do not push yourself or others to “get over it”
54. The Power of Change
HOW CHANGE CREATES BETTER
RELATIONSHIPS
55. The Result of Change
Change creates internal transition
Transition makes people think about how they treat
themselves and others
For this reason change can help people to forge new
or better bonds with each other
56. Change is Opportunity for Better
Relationships
If we remember change is the way to
making all relationships better then
we will be more willing to accept and
work through transition
58. New Organizational Chart
Questions to assist in transition:
• Identify what is actually changing in yourself
– Ask specific questions
• What is really over for you?
– What are the possible transition losses for you?
• What do you think your grieving process will involve?
– Are there any old wounds you need to be aware of?
• Make a list of what is not changing in your life
– Is there any insight about your life?
• What will be the signs that you are in the neutral zone?
– What small changes can you make to empower you?
60. New Supervisors
Questions to assist in transition:
• Identify what is actually changing in yourself
– Ask specific questions
• What is really over for you?
– What are the possible transition losses for you?
• What do you think your grieving process will involve?
– Are there any old wounds you need to be aware of?
• Make a list of what is not changing in your life
– Is there any insight about your life?
• What will be the signs that you are in the neutral zone?
– What small changes can you make to empower you?
62. Always Remember
Follow the four rules to face change
Remember your values and the values of your
organization
Good luck with the transition
63. Q&A
Please send your questions via the Chat or
Question widget on your dashboard.
64. Thank You for Participating!
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