Re: Resistance to Change LO789

Tobin Quereau (quereau@austin.cc.tx.us)
Fri, 14 Apr 1995 17:57:40 -0500 (CDT)

Replying to LO753 --

I'm seeing some of this reaction to change in the process we are
initiating at Austin Community College. We are engaged in a series of six
future search conferences this semester which will help to clarify the
vision and values for each campus and for the institution as a whole. We
have also made major changes in the membership of the President's Cabinet
to include representatives from all levels and constituencies of the
organization. We have developed an extensive new model for the
decision-making process which utilizes representational councils in each
major area of the administration and clarifies their inter-relationship.

All of these major shifts are designed to make more effective use of the
knowledge, skills, and energy of our employees. The initial impact of
these changes, however, is to render everyone _less_ knowledgeable,
skilled and effective in getting things done, since they are no longer
done in the same old way by the same old (or young!) people with the same
predictable results. This effect is unavoidable and actually very useful
if people can see it as an opening for new and more effective proceses and
structures to evolve. Not knowing "how to act" _is_ a major inhibitor of
action for most folks, but "deconstruction" is a requirement of
"reconstruction!"

In the counseling context, I have found it helpful to follow the "insight"
phase of the growth process with a "grounding" phase. That is, whenever a
client does begin to see things in a new way and with new possibilities,
it is important to focus on concrete, specific examples of how that new
perception might take shape over the next week or month or year. Asking
the client to reflect on and describe how he or she might feel
differently, think differently, and act differently as a result of the
change taking place can help to reduce the confusion, awkwardness, and
anxiety that accompanies any significant experience of growth (even if
those are the very experiences anticipated!).

This suggests, perhaps, some exercises or activities that could be
developed for organizational units or groups within a changing
organization. Having employees speculate on, imagine, anticipate, and/or
predict what new feelings, thoughts, and behaviors will accompany the
changes they are experiencing may lessen the anxiety and stimulate the
range of creative options in which they can engage. Having employees
explore and discuss in small groups the following or similar questions can
help them to move through the natural process of organizational learning
and growth:

What will it be like in our office when we these changes being initiated
finally come to some resolution?

What may be possible, necessary, and/or required?

How will our relationships and processes be different?

What might be different for me? for those I work with? and those I work
for?

What are the potential drawbacks and benefits of these upcoming changes?

In what new ways will I be able to (or have to) work, to accomplish my
goals and to grow?

How willing am I to explore new options, try out new responses, and learn
from the results?

In what ways can I influence or support the process so that it turns out
to my benefit or betterment?

Of course, effective and supportive listening to employees responses to
these questions will do more to validate the process than a mailbox full
of positive memos!!

Any other ideas??

Tobin Quereau
Austin Community College
quereau@austin.cc.tx.us

On Wed, 12 Apr 1995 Dmweston@aol.com wrote:

> Even in settings I've seen where people are very eager for change and have
> been actively involved in the change design, I have seen the phenomenon
> Stuart describes come up. When implementation actually occurs, people do
> not know how to act. The people most desirous of "empowerment" (and
> capable of self-management) are suddenly asking to be told what to do!
> Seems like a fairly rational response to the unknown, but it's not too
> productive for the change initiative. Possibly some of you have developed
> some theories about this phenomenon that you could share.

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