Managing Change and Uncertainty

Agenda

Change at UT The Impact of

Temperament Models for Change Strategies Communication Resilience

When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to

change ourselves. Viktor E. Frankl

Challenges at UT

Perceived ThreatoBudget Cuts

Culture of Concern StressoDoing More with less

Change vs. Transition

Change is an event that is situational and external to us. Something stops or something starts

Transition is the gradual, psychological reorientation process that happens inside of us as we adapt to external change. Can happen before or after the external change

Some Dread It

Some Accept It

Some are Energized By It

Responding to Change

Neuroleadership

David Rock 2008 http://www.scarf360.com/about/index.shtml

“Transition/Neutral Zone”

Playing it safe – may reduce effectiveness and creativity

Work feels less meaningful System and process

vulnerabilities resurface Priorities get confused - work

becomes disjointed Employees fill in the information

blanks with information that makes them more stressed or confused

Managing Transitions – William Bridges, 2007

Guilt Resentment Anxiety Self-Absorption Stress

Models for Change

Seek Data Normalize Change Look for Choices Identify What you have Control

Over and What You Don’t Communicate Support and Acknowledge

Reactions Reinforce the Behavior You are

Seeking Incorporate the Learning Curve Follow up

Communication Strategies

Communicate your vision Communicate what is and is not

ending Acknowledge losses

o Keep a piece of the pasto Use ceremony or rituals to honor the

past Remove excuses to hold on to the

past Use boundary actions and events

to mark a clean break Sell the problem but don’t put

down the past Listen1998 and 2010, William Bridges & Associates and Linkage, Inc

Reasons Managers Don’t Communicate

“they don’t need to know yet, we will tell them when the time comes”o Remember the grapevine

“they already know”o Say it again and say it in

numerous ways “we don’t know the details”

o Not saying anything increases the anxiety

o Say you don’t know or can’t say

Successful Meetings

Plan Ahead and Set Expectations Avoid “no news is good news” Notice Surroundings Assess for Threat Level and Create

Safetyo Incorporate your understanding of

perceptions Make Yourself More Available

o Normalize the potential reactions of your employees

o As a manager what you don’t say says as much as what you do say

o Listen – create an environment that encourages dialogue

o Share the information you can, acknowledge you can’t

Personal Resilience

What information do you have, what do you need, and what will remain unknown?

What are you telling yourself?o Carefully sort out thoughts from feelingso Are these thoughts based on information

or fears?o What other information do you need?o Are your thoughts making you feel

calmer or more concerned?o What is your worst fear? What is the best

possible outcome? Identify what else makes you feel calmer?

• Physical• Cognitive

The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it’s the

same problem you had last year. --John Foster Dulles

Resources Managing Transitions, William

Bridges Leading Change John P Kotter Heart of Change, D. Cohen and J.

Kotter Primal Leadership, Daniel

Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee

The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell.

Who Moved My Cheese, Spencer Johnson

Presented by Susan Harnden, LCSW EAP ManagerHealthPoint EAP471-3366http://www.utexas.edu/hr/eap