What sorts of organizational changes have you found easiest and most difficult to accept

Dr. Dawn-Marie Turner

After almost 20 years, I switched from my Blackberry smartphone to an iPhone.

I was ready.

I knew it would take time to learn the new technology, but I was surprised that letting go of the old phone was so uncomfortable. I shouldn���t have been surprised though. Letting go of our current state is one of the most difficult aspects of any change. A lack of leadership through this necessary step is one reason organizational change fails.

The good news is there are things we can do to make letting go easier.

The Discomfort of Change

Every change is uncomfortable. Whether the change is like mine, self-initiated. Or whether someone else or circumstance initiated the change.

Change is uncomfortable because it is change. Change is any situation, event, or circumstance that enables, allows, pushes, forces, or requires you to leave your comfort zone. So, by definition to be change it must be uncomfortable.

William Bridges called this space the neutral zone. He described it as the space where our old ways or activities don���t exist, but the new ways have not yet become our normal. For me this space is the “guts of the change”. Because it’s in this space we really feel the discomfort, and uncertainty deep within our gut. We can’t go back, but going forward feels so uncomfortable. We begin to question the validity of the change and the outcome. Why are we doing this? Is it really needed? What are we looking to achieve? Is it worth it?

It doesn���t matter how much we want or need the change, or the benefits we see, letting go is uncomfortable. It���s helpful for leaders to remember this when initiating organizational change. Leaders are often surprised by employees��� unwillingness to let go. This is especially confusing for leaders when they believe they are initiating a change their employees wanted.

Comfy Shoe Syndrome

Leaders who are launching a change often tell me, the change will be easy, everyone wants it. When this happens, I caution them to beware of the “comfy shoe syndrome”.

Comfy shoe syndrome happens when your old shoes have worn out. You knew they needed to be replaced. You buy new shoes.

You’re excited, and pleased.

You throw away your old shoes. But the new ones aren’t as comfortable as your old ones. They don���t mold to your foot like your old ones, they pinch a little, and the leather isn���t as soft. You start complaining about the new shoes. You wish you hadn’t gotten rid of your old shoes. Your focus is on the loss rather than on the benefits of the new shoes.

That���s what happened to me with my new smartphone. I knew my phone needed to be replaced. I wanted and believed I needed to make the switch. I left the store excited. I set up my phone quickly and was looking forward to all its new features.

Like those new shoes, the phone didn’t fit as comfortably with my current work practices.�� Some of the features I liked on my old phone weren���t available on the new phone. I believed the phone would increase my productivity, and make things easier. But initially the phone made things more difficult. I lost productivity while getting used to the new features. I had to manually do things my old phone did automatically.

I reminisced about what my old phone could do. I complained about having to change work habits and practices to integrate the new technology. I even thought about going back.

I didn’t. But I thought about it.

I see similar with organizational change. In one organization the employees had been complaining for years about one particular piece of software. They greeted the announcement of its replacement with statements like “finally”, “yeah”, “it’s about time”.

However, it didn���t take long before they were complaining about the new system. They talked about all the things the old system could do that the new one couldn���t. Leaders were lulled into feeling the change would be easy because everyone wanted it. They were caught by surprise with the complaints and the level of disruption.

The comfy shoe syndrome is a normal part of our process. It’s actually an indicator that your change is moving forward. William Bridges notes that although difficult, the neutral zone is where real change begins. It’s in this space people turn their awareness or buy-in for the change into the commitment needed for sustainable change.

Unfortunately, leaders who disregard the discomfort of letting go or are unaware it exists can erroneously label the reminiscing and complaints as resistance. Stalling out the change process.

What can you do?

Acknowledge and allow time for people to let go. As soon as we take that first step of letting go we cross over into the Whitespace. Those first few steps we take as we cross over into the Whitespace are filled with uncertainty. In the beginning it���s like being out at sea on a sailboat. We have left the safety of the shore, we can���t yet see the new shore, and we are learning how to sail.

Recognize the complaints & reminiscing are a normal part of the process. That doesn���t mean you can ignore them or write them off as simply resistance. There is often useful and important information in these conversations. Sometimes these conversations raise serious risks that can���t and shouldn���t be ignored. Actively listen to the conversations. This will give you insight into the change event and what is needed to support your employees.

Balance the ending with a meaningful beginning. In the early part of any change there is a tendency to focus on what is being loss, (the ending). It���s helpful for leaders to help people see the change is not either an ending or a beginning, but both. Every change is both an ending and a beginning. In the early phases leaders can help employees refocus on the new state, and its benefits. To do this you need make the time to create, document and share the intended outcome. Ensure it’s clear, concrete, and compelling for the change. Provide your employees with the time and opportunity to explore the outcome. Letting go will be easier if the outcome is meaningful, and desired.

I am in new steady state with my iPhone. It’s fully integrated, and I have no desire to go back.

The ability of people to let go of their current work practices to embrace something new will depend on the actions you take and don���t take as leader.

Helping you turn organizational change from a liability to an asset.

Organizational change is the action a business takes to change any of its underlying components, such as processes, culture, people, product, infrastructure, or technology. When an organizational change initiative is decided on and announced, the responsibility to implement it is generally placed on managers.

While implementing a change initiative can be challenging, especially for those who have never led such an effort, it provides managers the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. It also offers a path for companies to become and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy where evolution is essential for success.

As one study by Gartner demonstrates, just 34 percent of all change initiatives pursued by businesses end in clear success, and a further 16 percent yield mixed results. This equates to 50 percent of all change initiatives failing.

Why do change initiatives fail? There are several reasons, including:

• Poor employee buy-in
• A lack of clear vision
• Inadequate understanding among managers

When a professional who has never managed a change initiative is suddenly thrust into the challenge, the results can be catastrophic if they don’t take the time to shore up their skills.

Here’s an overview of the different types of organizational change every manager needs to understand to be effective and lead their teams to success.

The Organizational Change Spectrum

While organizational change is often discussed as a single concept, there are multiple types. Depending on the specific change methodology, there can be anywhere from five to 12 distinct types of organizational change.

One of the most effective ways of thinking about organizational change is to view it as a spectrum that measures the magnitude of change a business is undertaking. On one end of the spectrum is adaptive change; on the other is transformational change.

Adaptive Change

Adaptive changes are small, incremental adjustments that organizations and managers make to adapt to daily, weekly, and monthly business challenges. These changes are often related to fine-tuning existing processes, products, and company culture, and don’t fundamentally change the organization as a whole, as is typically the case with transformational changes.

Some examples of adaptive changes include:

• Adding a new payment option for customers who complete an order online
• Implementing a new intake form for clients or vendors
• Adding a new page to an existing website
• Iterating upon an existing product to address customer complaints or better serve customer needs
• Testing a new product to address changing customer demands, without retiring existing products or otherwise changing the existing brand structure
• Upgrading software or equipment from one version to another, without seeing significant changes in functionality
• Hiring a new employee to fill a position that’s opened due to the departure of someone else

To effectively manage adaptive changes, managers need to drive and control the process of change.

First, they need to see the big picture and understand why small adaptations are necessary for the organization's long-term success. Then, they need to convince their employees and key stakeholders that what may seem like a small change will benefit the organization as a whole, to gain the buy-in necessary for success. Finally, managers need to be methodical in the way they plan, implement, and review the steps of adaptive change to ensure the change was effective, sustainable, and valuable. If it wasn’t, they need to adjust accordingly.

Transformational Change

Transformational change, on the other end of the spectrum, refers to changes that are typically much grander in scope than incremental, adaptive changes. Very often, transformational change refers to a dramatic evolution of some basic structure of the business itself—its strategy, culture, organization, physical structure, supply chain, or processes.

Whereas adaptive change happens incrementally over time, transformational change is often sudden and dramatic. Though not always the case, transformational change is often pursued to address a major concern or challenge the business is facing.

Some examples of transformational change include:

• Converting an existing brick-and-mortar business into an e-commerce or omnichannel business
• Rethinking the client or vendor onboarding process
• Redesigning a company’s website and rebuilding it from scratch
• Retiring an existing product to divert funds and resources to the development of a new product
• Converting from one major software to another in order to embrace new capabilities
• Launching a new department, or rethinking company structure by reforming teams

The need for transformational change is often triggered by a major external factor, such as a new competitor or acquisition. While adaptive changes require managers to be methodical and analytical, transformational changes need them to be persuaders and visionaries. When faced with such a drastic change, the manager’s primary responsibility is to lead employees to believe in the change, align them to the new vision, and motivate them for success.

The In-Between

The vast majority of change is unlikely to fall into the transformational or adaptive buckets. The key value of thinking about organizational change as a spectrum is it allows you to think about everything that falls in between transformational and adaptive change.

For example: As a business grows, it's likely to experience some changes that are predictable and incremental, as well as transformative. An example is the transition from informal to formal management, which every startup must undertake on its way to becoming a mature business. While the company’s strategy might not change, a lot of effort will be required to manage the transition effectively.

Managers must then balance being both methodical and visionary. While the transition isn’t as drastic as a transformational change, employees may still be wary of such a shift in strategy or standard operating procedures. After motivating employees to align with the new direction, changes need to be implemented in a measurable and adjustable process.

Related: How Management Training Programs Can Help You Advance

How to Build the Skills to Manage Organizational Change

To effectively manage organizational change, managers need several skills. While experience and on-the-job training can be powerful teachers, they’re often not enough—particularly for individuals who find themselves suddenly thrust into a managerial role with such a difficult task ahead of them.

One effective way to quickly learn the skills necessary for success is to invest in a management training course. Doing so can help you learn the basics of organizational change management and equip you to lead such an undertaking.

If you decide that a management training program is the right choice for you, look for one that:

• Complements your strengths and bolsters your weaknesses
• Employs faculty members and instructors with management experience
• Offers flexible learning options, such as online classes, to fit your busy schedule
• Has a focus on, or at least includes modules for, organizational change

With the right knowledge, skills, and experience, you can be capable of managing organizational change of any type.

Do you want to learn how to manage and lead change at your organization more effectively? Explore our eight-week online course Management Essentials, and discover how you can design, direct, and shape organizational processes to your advantage.