Living With and Adjusting to Change

February 25, 2013Larry Roper

Oregon State University

Flow

• Understanding dynamics of change;• Making sense of relationships and

interactions;• Choosing a path to engaging with change

Making sense of change

Change Dynamics• Can excite or distress;• Finding a context to make meaning;• Struggles with uncertainty and confusion over

expectations;• Value and values get questioned;• Fragmentation of relationships;• Random emotions surface;• Possibility of conflict increases;

Change Dynamics• Increase in “at-risk” behaviors; • Hope can be shaken or buoyed;• Trust can erode;• Risk-taking diminishes;• Cynicism can rise;• Anger surfaces;• Retreat to comfort in short-term view;• Confidence can be fragile.

These times are made for us!

Changing times present us with opportunities to reveal the depth of our care and unleash the force of our energy.

During changing times humanity, dignity, sense of worth, reputations, livelihoods are at stake – the soul of our community is on the line.

Opportunities Within Change

Bring new and unimagined value; Re-imagine, reinvent and re-create; New clarity and growth; Stronger, more connected, more sustainable

communities/organizations.

Who shows up when we are presented with the possibility of change?

When we consider our roles in the organization/institution, what possibilities do we hold?

Is there enough future associated with those possibilities?

When confronted with change –

What is the set of conversations that we are? What is the set of conversations people associate with us? Is that who we want to be known as?

OUR LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES DURING TIMES OF CHANGE

Organizational transitions give us opportunities to repair, reconstruct and heal.

During changing times we need to navigate our organizations and communities through the right conversations.

As we lead through change and uncertainty we should take responsibility to break the cultural patterns of reputation-damaging conversations.

Change-inspiring leadership is, getting an important conversation into the organization that was not present before.

Distinguish between responding to the incident and responding to the issue – we must do both if change scenarios are to be meaningful.

AFFECTIVE SIDE OF CHANGING TIMES

When people are upset/concerned they communicate the best they can. No matter how the words come out it is a gift to receive (even when it doesn't feel like a gift).

There are always requests embedded in upset – are we capable of acknowledging and honoring the presence of the request?

Choosing a Path to Engaging with Change

• Pursuing creativity and new possibilities requires entering the world of the unknown;

• Transforming ourselves is integral to transforming our institutions/organizations;

• New levels of relationship is essential to successful change leadership;

• New opportunities will not be revealed through a deficit or eliminative lens;

Personal Grounding

Manage Conversations Manage our conversations in a

manner that reflects our commitments;

Transform eliminative conversations into conversations of possibilities

Speak our truth with care Manage the reputations of others as

we would manage our own.

• Name and own our “stuff”;• Transform our thinking and ways of being;• Resituate ourselves in the world and

embrace the work implied in that new position;

• Reenergize ourselves and our leadership• Allow it to be bigger than us• Examine the impact of change on you…

Demonstrate Courage

The WEIGHT of Change What is the heaviness or lightness of

your being during change? How much psychic/emotional weight are

you carrying? What is taking up psychological space for you?

What kind of “lifting” does being in relationship with you require of others?

How does your psychic weight affect those with whom you interact?

How do you show up in your relationships?

• Pursue breakthroughs in awareness;• Uncover new understanding and

appreciation of the realities of others;• Achieve a new level of connection or

relationship with our colleagues and institution;

• Generate new energy for the future;• Keep our values and commitments at the

center.

Our Assignment