Change Arc
- Darlene Edgar
Analytics
Andersen, E. (2022). Change is hard: Here’s how to make It less painful. Harvard Business Review. Change Is Hard. Here’s How to Make It Less Painful.
Adapting to Constant Change:
In today's fast-paced world, individuals and organizations must become more comfortable and open to change, as it is constant.
Change follows a predictable pattern called the change arc, starting with the proposed change, followed by mindset shift, development of new behaviors, and finally, change occurs.
Challenges in Change Management:
Many people get stuck in a negative mindset about change and resist supporting it, leading to a high failure rate of organizational change efforts (around 70%) due to lack of management support and employee buy-in.
Strategies to Facilitate Change:
Increase Understanding: Provide a simple summary of the change, explaining what it is, why it's happening, and the benefits of the change. Acknowledge the time and effort required and include support being offered.
Clarify and Reinforce Priorities: Clearly communicate what aspects are not changing to alleviate concerns.
Give Control: Empower individuals by giving them a sense of control over aspects of the change process.
Give Support: Be open to questions, actively listen to concerns, summarize them, and offer assistance. Avoid labeling resistance and instead, provide support and assistance.