MOIC – Study Unit 2 Managing Change with Individuals

1. MOIC – Study Unit 2 Managing Change with Individuals Required reading: Cameron & Green (2012) Chapter One Individual Change [digitalised] Dr. Roz Gasper

2. Lecture objectives • Understand the conundrum of change and individual change • Consider ways of looking at change, inner world, behavioural, cognitive, psychodynamic and humanistic psychology (including personality) transition and time • Five factors that influence individual change • Focus on our ‘own’ propensity to change as well as ‘others’ propensity to change

3. Introduction - Conundrum of Change Approaches to change activities (e.g. communications and briefings, training events etc.) are focused on the group, department and organisation BUT change requires individuals to change and we all react to change differently How to account for the individual in change? Willingness (give up the old way and move to new) Capacity to ‘understand’ and ‘actually’ change (do we agree with change, can we change) Readiness and commitment to take on the challenge, opportunities, losses, upheaval, transition

4. The change ‘dilemma’ But you can’t change people, they have to change themselves If you can’t change people, you can’t make changes

5. Two ways of looking at change • Internal (inner) world • External (outside) world “often it is the internal reaction to external change that proves the most fruitful area of discovery, and it is often in this area that we find the reasons external changes succeed or fail” (Cameron & Green, 2012:15) Heraclitus – the ‘you’ who steps into the river today is not the same ‘you’ who steps into the river tomorrow

6. Change involves Learning and Time • Need to learn - acquire knowledge & experience • Time lag to gaining competency • Need to reduce anxiety & create ‘psychological safety’ for individuals faced with change, loss and renewal to enable them to learn & change • Tools to help smoother transition (e.g. Myers-Brigg type personality indicators) (ibid:16-22) • Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle of ‘doing and thinking’ • Activist (doing e.g. trial & error) • Reflect (on our experience) • Build concepts (mindsets, new ways of thinking) • Experiment in a practical way (e.g. examples of application, tools etc.)

7. Four approaches to individual change (fig1.1, ibid:16) Behavioural - Changes to Behaviour Cognitive - Achieving Results Humanistic Psychology - Maximising potential Psychodynamic - Change inner world

8. Q1. What the rewards and punishments are that operate in your organisation Q2. How effective are they at bringing about change The behavioural approach focuses on the idea of rewards (positive) and punishments (negative) to get us to ‘behave’ in ‘desired’ ways so you would want to make sure you know…. Financial reinforcement Classic example is problems with performance related pay / bonuses with the introduction of team work 1. Leaving individual performance related pay and bonuses based on ‘individual performance’ 2. Poor design of a system so it reinforces or encourages different actions/ behaviour to that ‘desired’ • Non-financial reinforcement • “FEEDBACK given to an individual about performance on specific tasks. The more specific this is the more impactful reinforcement can be” • (ibid: 26) • Social reinforcement - interpersonal actions • praised with ‘best employee’ • punished with ‘name and shame’ • - group approval or disapproval can determine which behaviours are acceptable or not

9. “People control their own destinies by believing in and acting on the values and beliefs that they hold” (R Quackenbush, Central Michigan University cited ibid:29) Cognitive approach founded on premise that our emotionsand our problems are a result of the way we think – how we frame and interpret situations based on our own thought processes To change we need to change the way we think, our values and beliefs Humans have unique capacity to: • Create disturbing beliefs and to get upset (e.g. about change) • Change the way we think and feel (e.g. react differently from the way we usually do) • Refuse or train ourselves not to be upset about something so it becomes less distressing (e.g. minimally disturbed by giving a presentation) (Ellis 1977 cited ibid:29)

10. Achieving results, setting goals & making sense 3% of graduates at Yale University with clear goals were worth more than the other 97% put together (oft quoted in self help books – perhaps an exaggeration of the basic truth to this apocryphal story) (ibid:31) “Need to pay attention to how we talk to ourselves about results” Usual responses to our achievements Positive/ good performance: • I knew I could do it, I’ll be able to do it again • That was lucky, I doubt I’ll be able to repeat that Ineffective/ poor performance: • I could do a lot better next time • I thought as much, I knew it would turn out like this Achieving results does improve if we set clear and challenging BUT achievable goals (e.g. career planning, work targets, study planning) Techniques for change: positive listings, affirmations, visualisations, pattern breaking, detachment, anchoring & resource states, rational analysis (ibid:32-35)

11. Negative Capability & Tolerance of Ambiguity “a state in which a person is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason” (quoted Bion1961) “the state of mind that underpins the creative genius of high achieving individuals” (ibid) Keats: Tolerance of ambiguity - can cope with disorder, complexity and chaos of ‘unknowns’ (Mackinnon, 1962) Simpson, et al (2002) “…can create an intermediate space that enables one to continue to think in difficult situations”, a “mental and emotional space, in which a new thought may emerge…”

12. Negative Capability Those with ‘high negative capability’ will thrive with change and face less challenges to their personal performance, before, during and after change…. • mental and emotional space… (Simpson et al., 2002) • hesitation, resisting urge into action… (Wigod, 1952) • capacity to tolerate ambiguity… (Ward, 1963) • remain content with half knowledge… (Starr, 1966) • capacity to experience emotion… (French, 2001) • focused watchfulness…refrain from drawing premature conclusions (Cornish, 2011) • patience… (Bion, 1970) Key 21st C employability factor and work survival skill

13. 7.INTEGRATION Incorporation of meaning into new behaviours. “Now I can see the way ahead”. ‘It wasn’t so bad.’ 2.DENIAL Denial or minimisation of change. “It will never work”, “It won’t affect me”. Temporary retreat “Oh well, I wanted a new job anyway”, “No I won’t feel too upset by this situation”.. 3.SENSE OF INCOMPETENCE Uncertainty about how to deal with change. Anger Grief. Blaming, Self-doubt. Guilt. “I’m not sure I’m up to this”. Hopelessness. Depression. Frustration. Dependency. Fussing over trivial things. Can’t sleep. Get colds. 6. UNDERSTANDING Search for meaning. “Is this right for me?” Seeking understanding to make sense of why things are different. 5.EXPERIMENTATION Testing new behaviours & approaches. Stepping outside comfort zone. Tendency to be influenced by ideas of how things ‘should’ be done. Lots of energy, anger and frustration. Beginning to deal with new reality. “Perhaps if I try…” 1.SHOCK Immobilisation. Surprise. Overwhelmed. Numbness. “I can’t believe it”. Confused. “How dare they do this” 4.ACCEPTANCE Acceptance of reality by doing something different. Letting go of the past. Comfortable attitudes and behaviours. Something has to change “I can’t go on like this anymore, I’ve got to do something”. Putting things into perspective. Transition Curve – dealing with the Psychodynamic Mood / Competence Unease Carelessness Restless New status quo Integration & Practice Tied to old status quo SIGNALS Transforming Idea & Chaos Foreign Element PREPARATION PHASE - before the impulse Time ENDING– Letting Go TRANSITION - Passage NEW BEGINNING Adapted from Cameron & Green 2012 (36-37;40-1,53,134-40) Bridges Kubler-Ross Virginia Satir model

14. Humanistic Psychology – Maximising Potential Whole Person & Self-awareness Gestalt Cycle & mapped on to managerial decision-making meeting Awareness (share info, data generation, environment scanning, review) Energy/action (mobilise interest in idea, support, conflicts) Contact (common objective, understandings, choose way forward) Resolution/ closure (testing, checking, reviewing, action planning) Withdrawal (pause, sink-in, reduce energy, end meeting) (Nevis 1998 cited ibid:55) Nevis ( cited ibid:55) Of what we • Sense (e.g. sights, sounds etc.) • Verbalise & visualise (thinking, planning, remember, imagine) • Feel (happiness, fear, anxiety, wonder, indifference etc.) • Value (inclinations, judgements, conclusions, prejudices etc.) • how we interact (participation patterns, communication styles, energy levels, norms etc.) • Mobilisation of energy (occurs as awareness focuses on a thought (inner) or issue (external) • Released energy = doing something /action (ibid:54)

15. Personality & Change (Myers-Briggs Type One of Four) IS = Thoughtful Realist - Operational Oliver “If it aint broke don’t fix it!” Needs to read and observe before learning something new Concern with what needs to be kept Help him by ensuring that something stays the same. Give him time to adjust. Give him thing to read. Hates brainstorming, being rushed, empty promises

16. Personality & Change (Myers-Briggs Type Two) ES = Action-oriented Realist – Action Angela “Let’s do it” Needs to actively experiment before learning something new Concerned with improving results Help her by letting her get on with some practical first steps Give her clear targets Hates reviews, theoretical discourse, long emails and long debates

17. Personality & Change (Myers-Briggs Type Three) IN = Thoughtful Innovator – Synthesising Susan “Let’s think about it differently!” Needs to read, listen and make connections before learning something new Concerned with new ideas and theories Help her by ensuring that the big picture makes sense Has room for new ideas and strategies Hates instruction lists, didactic (do it this way!) training courses, things that don’t make sense

18. Personality & Change (Myers-Briggs Type Four) EN = Action-oriented Innovator–Variety-maker Vikram “Let’s change it!” Needs to talk with others and to be creative before learning something new Concerned with putting new ideas into practice Help him by allowing him to take charge of a significant area of work Talk things through enthusiastically with him Hates small chunks of disconnected work, long periods of reflection, repetition, lack of vision

19. Five factors influencing an Individual’s response to change 3. Organizational history 2. Consequences of the change 4. Type of individual Response to change 1. Nature of the change 5. Individual History (figure 1.12 ibid:61)

20. Consider your own propensity to change Responses to Change (Anon) Those who let it happen Those who make it happen Those who wonder what happened When looking at organisational, team and individual levels of change need to consider Our own propensity to change, and Others propensity to change

21. References Bion W R (1961) Experiences in Groups and Other Papers, London, Tavistock Bridges W (1991) Managing Transitions, Perseus, Reading MA Cameron E & Green M (2012) Making Sense of Change Management, a complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change, 3rd edition, London, Kogan Page Ellis A & Greiger R (eds) (1977) Handbook of Rational-Emotive Therapy, Springer, New York Kolb, D (1984) Experiential Learning, Prentice-Hall, New York Kubler-Ross E (1969) On Death and Dying, Macmillan, New York Nevis E (1988) Organizational Consulting: A Gestalt Approach, Gestalt Institute of Cleveland Press, Ohio Satir V., Banmen J., Gerber J & GomoriM (1991) The Satir Model: Family therapy and beyond, Science and Behavior Books, Paolo Alto, CA Further Reading - core text chapter 8 pages 230-48