Energising or exhausting?

When is change energising? When is it exhausting?

That’s what I was invited on a podcast to speak about recently. It’s not something I’ve considered before, so in developing my thoughts I arrived at the following:

There are five-ish elements that determine how change is received.

I say “ish” because there are more than that and lots of different perspectives. But here’s a start.

CADENCE

The rhythm of change - whether it’s fast-paced or slow. Whether there’s time to consolidate or a relentless pummeling of changes, one on top of the other.  

Fast isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and slow isn’t always good. The secret is to allow enough time for people to catch their breath, while not prolonging a state of flux.

EXTENT

The size of the stretch. Is it a small change, like learning a new software shortcut, or a large one, like learning a completely new workflow? Knowing the extent of the change should guide how you bed it in.

CONTROL

How much say do people have in what’s happening? For example, getting to design your own role versus having it designed for you. A lack of control often results in reactance, when people seek to reaffirm their autonomy by resisting what’s being pushed. Even if people can’t control change from happening, they can be supported to control their responses to it.

CERTAINTY

Whether and when the change is actually happening. People prefer to know, even when it’s bad news, because then they can mentally prepare. It’s not knowing that drains and distracts them.

MEANING

How it fits with their story. Are you being pushed out of a role or have you determined it’s time to move on? Meaning is a bit of a wildcard because it will depend on each person’s narrative. However, it can be shaped by how change is communicated, and how leaders treat those who are impacted.

Truth is, as much as people lament “change”, stagnation can be just as exhausting. 

So when is change energising?

When people have enough time to absorb it, enough involvement to own it, enough information to prepare for it, and enough meaning to want it. 

The key to managing organisational change isn’t managing the change itself. It’s managing the experience of it.

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