Leading Change

by Kathy Cooperman

What is the one thing in life you can depend on? From the moment of birth until you take your last breath, change is a constant companion.

Once you stepped into your leadership role, leading others through change becomes a critical success factor. That’s especially difficult when you’re trying to come to grips with a change yourself.

Stages of Change
William Bridges is referred to as the “granddaddy of change management”. He describes three stages people go through with any significant change.
1. Endings.
2. Neutral zone.
3. New beginnings.

Facts About Change
The way you react to change depends on:
- The number of other changes you are juggling.
- Past experience with changes in your life/work.
- How you are impacted.
- Whether you initiated the change, or it’s being imposed on you.
- How much control you have over it.

Endings
Although counterintuitive, all change starts with an ending. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a positive change (move to a new neighborhood, promotion, etc.) or a seemingly negative change (divorce, loss of a job, etc.). Something will end.

Example: a promotion or new job. Some endings include:
- Loss of your former teammates.
- Loss of your expert knowledge in performing your role.
- Familiarity with your daily routine.

When the change involves an unwanted situation such as the loss of a loved one, the endings can feel devastating. Endings may include:
- Permanent absence of that person’s companionship.
- Future plans.
- Emotional support.

Neutral Zone
The most difficult part of change is letting go of what used to be and coming to grips with the New Beginning. You will likely experience confusion, frustration, and ambiguity. Some have referred to it as the feeling you’d get if you were between trapezes. It’s a scary time. People feel anxious when their security is threatened. There are typically more questions than answers during transition or the neutral zone.

New Beginnings
This is the change event. The new state is in full gear. You have managed to navigate your way through the first two stages. Instead of focusing on the past or what used to be, you’re fully engaged in what’s happening now and looking toward the future. You may experience:
- “This is not as bad as I thought” . . . or “I can do this!”
- Looking for ways to improve the new state.
- Supporting others in their journey.

Your Role as Leader
Once you understand the journey of change, your job is to help guide others through the phases. Avoid telling people to just “get over it.” Allow people to experience the natural reactions to change. You can be the most helpful by:
- Providing information about the change, explain why the change is happening.
- Listen, encourage questions/concerns, offer support, celebrate small wins.
- Celebrate progress and achievement of the journey, model expectations of the new state.

Change is a constant. It’s the time to be patient with the people who can make or break the success of a change implementation. Remember, the next change is just around the corner!

Kathy Cooperman, an executive coach and leadership expert, is the president and founder of KC Leadership Consulting LLC. For more information, contact her at kathy@kathycooperman.com, www.kathycooperman.com or 720.542.3324.