Change Arc

Andersen, E. (2022). Change is hard: Here’s how to make It less painful. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2022/04/change-is-hard-heres-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.