Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
The Challenge of
Change
presented for the
Minnesota Rural Health Conference
by:
Patricia Moten Marshall
SynerChange Chicago
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
Focus of Presentation:

What we know about change and human
response to change?
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Topics
The Challenge of Change
 Change as a Process
 Roles in the Change Process
 Resistance to Change
 Resilience
Re ilie e during
d i Change
Ch e
 Questions

SynerChange Chicago © 2010
The Challenge of
Change
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Change – What We Know!




Increasing at an Exponential Rate
Has both Dangers and Opportunities
Assimilate Change at Micro, Organizational, and
Macro Levels
Increasingly people are hitting their “Future
Sh k” th
Shock”
threshold
h ld
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
Future Shock!
That point in time when
people can no longer
assimilate change
without displaying
d f ti l behavior.
dysfunctional
b h i
•Based on the work of Alvin Toffler
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Goal

Raise the Future Shock Threshold
– Education
– Increase Resilience During Change

Use fewer assimilation points during
change
g
– Implement change more effectively
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Change as a Process
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Change as a Process
Present
State
Transition
State
Desired
State
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Transition State Characteristics
Low stability
 High emotional stress
 High, often undirected energy
 Control becomes a major issue
 Past p
patterns of behavior become highly
g y
valued
 Conflict increases

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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Change as a Process
Learning
Present
State
Transition
State
Desired
State
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
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Roles
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Roles in the Change Process

Sponsor - individual or group who has the
organizational
i ti l power to
t legitimize
l iti i the
th change
h

Change Agent - individual or group responsible
for implementing the change

Target - individual or group being impacted by
g
the change

Advocate - individual or group who wants the
change to occur and does not have the
organizational power to legitimize it.
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
Cascading Sponsorship
Initiating
S
Sponsor
Spo
so
Sustaining
Sponsor
T
T
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
T/S
T
T
T/S
T
T
T
T T
T
T
T
T
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
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June 2010
Effective Sponsors Demonstrate

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lack of acceptance of the status quo
clarity of vision
knowledge of resources required to accomplish the
change and the commitment to provide the resources
needed
understanding of the organizational impact of the
g
change
recognition of and empathy for the human impact of
the change
grasp of the scope of or size of the group impacted
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
Effective Sponsors Demonstrate

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a public role which shows support for the change
a private role which is consistent with the
communication at the public level
ability/willingness to use rewards, logistical hassles
and negative consequences for stragglers
commitment to monitoring actions to assure the
g pprocess is moving
g forward
change
willingness to experience personal sacrifice to
accomplish the change
ability/willingness to sustain support throughout the
duration of the change.
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Resistance to Change
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Two Kinds of Resistance
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Resistance

What is resistance?
– Resistance is any opposition to a shift in the
status quo.

Why does resistance occur?
– When expectations are disrupted, people’s
ability to control their lives is minimized and
resistance is the result.
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
Resistance




Is resistance a symptom that something is
wrong? Can it be avoided?
What effect does a positive or negative reaction
to change have on the amount of resistance that
occurs?
What role does “perception” play when people
resist?
i ?
Do you prefer resistance to be expressed overtly
or covertly?
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Response to Change
Perceived as Positive
PESSIMISM
PRIVATE
PUBLIC
II. Informed
Pessimism
III. Hopeful
III
Realism
(Hope)
(Doubt)
IV. Informed
Optimism
Checking Out
(Confidence))
V. Completion
I. Uninformed
Optimism
(Satisfaction)
(Certainty)
TIME
(Can also indicate an increase in learning or information)
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
Response to Change
Perceived as Negative
Acceptance
EMO
OTIONAL RESPONS
SE
Anger
Active
Bargaining
Stability
Testing
Denial
Immobilization
Depression
Passive
TIME
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June 2010
Culture
Corporate
C
t culture
lt
is
i the
th basic
b i
pattern of shared beliefs,
behaviors and assumptions
acquired over time by
members of the organization.
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
Culture
“Culture
Culture eats change for breakfast
breakfast”
 “Whenever there’s a distinction between a
change and the culture, culture always
wins”
 Choices

– Ch
Change the
h change
h
– Change the culture
– Prepare to fail
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Resilience During
Change
SynerChange Chicago © 2010

What are the characteristics of
organizations that respond effectively to the
pressures of change?
They demonstrate
“resilience”
during change
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June 2010
Resilience

An ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune or
change
Merriam Webster Dictionary

The process through which positive outcomes are achieved
in the context of adversity
Masten 2001

...Not as a reduction or absence of bad outcomes, but as
goodd outcomes in
i spite
i off adversity
d
i
Peterson and Seligman 2004

The ability to rebound is part of the process, sure, but it’s
not magically pain-free or instantaneous.
“Finding Strength” – Psychology Today 1998
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Organizational Characteristics….

Positive
os ve
– sense of optimism

Focused
– vision of what is to be achieved

Flexible
– pliable when responding to uncertainty

Organized

Proactive
– applies structure to help manage ambiguity
– engages change vs. evading
•Based on the work of ODR, Inc.
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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June 2010
Tactics
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
Change as a Process
Present
State
Transition
State
Desired
State
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June 2010
Tactics for Unfreezing
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Explain the problems or opportunities facing the
organization which make the status quo no longer
acceptable.
Outline the cost to the organization of not changing
Create a guiding coalition
Demonstrate strong sponsorship
Use external drivers to reduce defensiveness
A ti l t the
Articulate
th vision
ii
Make it easier to do it the new way
Reward supportive behavior
SynerChange Chicago © 2010
Tactics for Transition
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Focus attention on the future
Reinforce the benefits of the new way
Let individuals know they are capable of achieving the
change
Have sponsors send symbolic messages supportive of the
change
Assign roles, tasks and responsibilities
Give people the resources to be successful
Identify anchors - what will not change
Train - this is the greatest opportunity for learning
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
Tactics for Achievement
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Celebrate successes
Make adjustments where necessary
Acknowledge price people have paid to achieve the
change
Use consequence management for stragglers
Be open to continual improvement
Stay flexible for the future
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Questions
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Minnesota Rural Health Conference
June 2010
For More Information
Patricia Moten Marshall
President
SynerChange Chicago
P.O. Box 1281
Oak Park,, IL 60304
708-383-2725
[email protected]
www.synerchangechicago.com
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SynerChange Chicago © 2010
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