Understanding What Happens in the Change ProcessMarie Hvidsten, Ed.D.Rural Leadership SpecialistNDSU Extension ServiceRLND Watford City SeminarJune 27, 2013

Continual Cycle of Change

What does Change mean to you?

Write down the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word change.

What was the last thing you changed in your work life? Personal life?

How did you feel about the change(s)?

“No one can persuade another to change. Each of us guards a gate of

change that can only be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of

another, either by argument or by emotional appeal.”

Marilyn Ferguson

Kurt Lewin’s Force-Field Analysis

Restraining Forces ________________________ Driving Forces

(Bell, C.H. & French, W.L., 1999)

Kurt Lewin’s Refreeze Theory• Unfreezing the old behavior, situation

Change only happens when person, community feels comfortable, motivated to change.

• Moving to a new level of behavior, new situation New viewpoints needed, benefits need to be

powerful enough for individuals (WIIFM) to change way they think about situation, behavior.

• Refreezing the behavior, situation at a new level Integrate new behavior, situation into daily living

and a way of life.

(Bell, C.H. & French, W.L., 1999)

Point of View on Change

The Spiral Model of Change by Prochaska, Norcross & Diclemente

Precontemplation Contemplation

Preparation Action

Maintenance Termination

Precontemplation• People in this stage don’t have an intention to

change.

• People in this stage do not see the need to change a habit – or they don’t see it as a bad habit in the first place.

• The easiest way to determine if others are in this stage may be to ask them if they intend to change in the next six months. If they say no, they are in this stage.

Contemplation

•People know they have a problem.

•In this stage people are often weighing the pros and cons of the problem and its possible solutions.

•People are thinking about how much energy it will take for them to change and what benefits the existing habit has.

Preparation

•People are ready to change and may have made some early efforts to change.

•People are collecting information about the habit they want to change and are getting ready to change.

•People will focus on finding the most suitable type of action to take to overcome their habit.

Action

•People are doing things that others will recognize as efforts to change.

•A person’s work in this stage of change is recognized and often supported or praised by others.

•It’s important to have someone to talk with during this stage.

Stages in Transition by William Bridges

Ending Neutral Zone New Beginning

Grieving loss due to change.

May see over reaction to change.

Acknowledge losses – get them out in the open.

Anxiety rises and motivation falls.

People may feel overwhelmed, disoriented, self-doubting.

People are divided – some want to move forward, others stay the same.

Involves new understandings, new values, new ways to think about yourself.

Need to be nurtured like a plant would be.

Clarify and communicate the purpose.

“It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions. Change is not the same as transition. Change is situational:

the new boss, new team roles, new policy. Transition is the

psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition

is internal.”

William Bridges

Maintenance

•This stage is very important in preventing relapse of the habit that was just changed.

•People with certain habits will stay in this stage for the rest of their lives.

•Since threats to maintenance occur infrequently, complacency can easily take hold.

Termination

•Some professional believe that termination is impossible, that the most anyone can hope for is a lifetime of maintenance.

•Four defining criteria that divide terminators from lifetime maintainers: a new self-image, no temptation in any situation, solid self-efficacy and a healthier lifestyle.

Embracing Change

Five ways to embrace change:

▫Be open and adaptable▫Be enthusiastic▫Focus on what you can control▫Choose to be with positive people▫Find the possibilities

Change Quotes

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” Margaret Thatcher

“The only constant is change – the only strategy is to act.” John Picard

References

• Bridges, W. (1991). Managing Transitions, Making the Most of Change. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

• Bell, C.H. & French, W.L. (1999). Organization Development, Behavioral Science Interventions for Organization Improvement. (6th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

• Prochaska, J.O., Norcross, J.C. & Diclemente, C.C. (2006). Changing for Good, A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.