According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), more than 300 million people ride roller coasters at U.S. amusement parks every year. 300 million! That’s almost the entire population of the United States.
The funny thing is, huge numbers of people are riding roller coasters in the business world as well. All employees, in every organization, experience change at some point in their careers. The emotions felt during an organizational change can easily be compared to a monster roller coaster. There are ups, downs, curves, slow climbs, fast descents, unexpected speed changes, and head-snapping starts and stops. So, the real question is: How can we prepare employees for the ride?
Last week’s blog looked at Challenge #1 of personal transition: remaining productive. This week, we will examine Challenge #2: maintaining professionalism during a change. In other words, what does it take to survive the emotional roller coaster?
Positive Changes
When confronted with change, individuals need to first figure out their own perceptions of what is to come. Is this a positive change, or a negative one? Surprisingly, even positive changes create a roller coaster of emotions. Think about getting married, or receiving a long-awaited promotion. These are definitely considered positive changes, but a roller coaster of emotion often follows along with the event.
Knowing what to expect during a positive change can help any individual navigate through the emotional ups and downs. Employees should be prepared to experience five distinct phases during a positive change:
Strategies and tactics can be applied that are helpful during a positive change. These include:
Negative Changes
When a change is perceived to be negative, there is a continuum of behavior, instead of distinct phases. Negative change usually means there will be a loss, an ending, or something that will need to be given up. Phases of a negative change include:
Having strategies in place to deal with a negative change can help an individual survive the emotional roller coaster. Here are a few examples of tactics that can be used:
An important point to remember during any change, whether it is percevied as negative or positive, is that different people will have different reactions to the change. Understanding where an individual is in the process is the first step, but pinpointing where people around them are on the change curve is also imperative. Having tolerance and understanding toward others will help to accelerate the change process.
Think of a change going on in your organization. Is it perceived as positive or negative, or both? Where are your employees on the emotional curve? Are they ready to put their hands up, and go for the ride?
Next week we will look at the Challenge #3 of a personal transition: being proactive.