Change does not have to be Negative
Anyone working in the ‘change’ arena will be familiar with the Kubler-Ross Change Curve and the stages of Shock – Denial – Frustration – Depression – Experiment – Decision – Integration. This is what change feels like, we are told, and there are strategies to deal with each stage. There are expressions such as ‘the burning platform’ and the example of Ralston, who amputated his arm to escape from under a boulder to make his way to safety. It is stated that a crisis has to be created to ‘motivate people’ to change, to reduce ‘change resistance’ in moving away from the status quo. The Kubler-Ross curve itself, of course, originated from the stages of grief, as a progression of emotional states experienced by terminally ill patients after diagnosis. But is this right?
I was at the Business Book Awards shortlisting on Wednesday 15th January 2020 and the previous year’s winner spoke about the many good things that followed her win. Each of the shortlisted candidates would have been thinking about that speech, about winning and wondering how his / her life might change – I venture to say, though, that none of them was thinking of the consequences in any negative way. Think about the last great project you had to lead, or a new job, or if you are part of a start-up. In our personal lives, engagement, a birth of a child, a new home, move to a new country – do we really go through shock, denial, frustration, depression and so on? I say we look forward, motivation comes naturally, change is exciting and absolutely not to be resisted.
Do we, though, end up at the same place?! The hypothesis
In the ‘usual’ change curve, it is postulated that the measure on the ‘y’ axis – morale, competence, performance – in the end recovers from the low levels and finishes up at a somewhat higher level than the start, as the change is worked through. So, in this ‘positive change curve’, can we say that, over time, expectations inevitably fall, performance suffers and finding how to cope with distress on the slide downwards should be as much of a focus of change management as supporting the curve upwards?
Think about it. In an organisation driving change, for example, the ones driving the programme, the ones developing the ‘burning platform’ are surely on the positive change curve even as they sell a picture of fear of the status quo – they can see a positive vision, a glorious end-point, change is to be welcomed. But, in the end, perhaps the post-change environment will not end up as amazing as the advocates projected, all the benefits will not be realised. On the same journey, at the same time, the ones being led will have gone through the usual change-curve and adjusted and coped. Have both groups ended up at the same place?
A Brexit Experiment
This is just a hypothesis.
But, on 31 January 2020, Britain left the European Union and negotiations are about to start on the future relationship. Remainers and Brexiters will go through the two change curves – ‘usual’ and ‘positive’ – with trepidation and excitement respectively.
Where will each end up? I hope there are researchers gearing themselves up to cover the journey. Has there been a greater opportunity to study societal change and attitudes to change since, say, the collapse of the Soviet bloc and the end of apartheid in the late eighties / early nineties? These were – like Brexit – peaceful (in the main) transitions with huge ramifications and invoking equal measures of fear and elation in the general population. (There have been ‘springs’ and conflicts elsewhere but they have either not taken hold or war and tragedy have overtaken any ordered process.).
Anybody doing such work, I would love to contribute.
The Stages of Positive Change
So, what might be the stages of change on a positive change curve. Your input and alternative thoughts would be fun.
1. ELATION
This is when you win a new order, take on a new role, commence a new job or start-up. Or, at personal level, perhaps you get engaged, you find out that you are having a baby, or you are moving house. These are what you have dreamed of, excitement could not be higher.
2. FEAR
This is the ‘gulp’ moment – can I / we deliver what we promised. Is this really going to work? Can I be a good mother / father / CEO?
3. MOTIVATION
The answer, of course, is ‘yes we can’ and the energy and excitement escalate.
4. COMFORT
Everything seems in control. Plans come to fruition, you are rocking!
5. WORRY
And then start to come signs of worry. The estimate is wrong, there is disunity in the team, market conditions deteriorate, suppliers begin to get ansty, plans begin to fall behind. There are stresses at home, it all begins to feel too much.
6. CONCERN
On a normal change curve, some groups never rise from the ‘valley of depression’, so, here, we may never slide down this curve. But it often happens that there comes a time when nothing seems to go right and you are stuck in the middle of very dark days.
7. RESILIENCE
But then comes resilience. You review the situation, take stock, develop plans and start to recover – either a controlled slide, levelling out or, hopefully, going back up the curve.
Thoughts?
Notes:
1 – I have not carried out a rigorous literature survey on a ‘positive change curve’ but have certainly never come across it in my work. Apologies if there has been a breach.
2 – Interestingly, Brexit as a campaign accentuated the positive (in debatable ways) for the population that was ‘ready’ for change – but surely it’s foundation was the many years and decades of having played on the negatives of the status quo. Brexit and Change
