To improve and grow, change is required. To change effectively, involves thought and emotion. Whether we are learning to ride a bike, renovating the house, getting in better physical shape, making meetings better, improving governance, implementing a challenging strategic plan, resolving unhealthy conflict, or changing something in our personal life, it will be an emotional ride.
64% of people quit their new year’s goals in January. That’s less than 8% into the year. So how do we keep the excitement of new goals without falling off? Understanding the process of change is fuel for transformation. Reaction is pain. Anticipation is power.
Emotional (Cognitive) Changes
Emotional (Cognitive) changes occurs when we select which of several potential emotional meanings will be attached to a situation. Then, later this meaning gives rise to subjective feelings, and behavioral and physiological changes. Emotional (Cognitive) change occurs when we alter our cognitive appraisals and changing these cognitive appraisals changes our emotional experiences.
Can we control those emotional responses? Conscious control over the limbic system is possible, not by suppressing a feeling, but rather by changing the interpretation that creates the feeling in the first place. So to change an emotional response we need to go back to the opinion that provoked it. If we change how we interpret the reality, we will change the emotions that show up.
Changing
the interpretation of reality doesn’t mean making stuff up; it just means
emphasizing a different aspect of reality. Other people might rejoice in this
fact and have a totally different response because they look at it from a
different angle. Learning to switch our perception of the situation on demand is called
“cognitive reappraisal” (or pratipaksha
bhavana in yoga) and it is a great tool for emotional
regulation.
There are four types of Cognitive Reappraisal. Some- we already do automatically, and some require a bit more conscious effort.
1. Reinterpret the event: This is fairly easy to do about situations that we are not particularly invested in. We see a guy stomping his feet on the street and think he is angry or crazy and should stay away. Then he smiles and shakes off some dirt from his shoe and we reinterpret him as a friendly guy who is trying to get the dirt of his shoe. The brain sometimes does this automatically as it receives new information. We can also do it intentionally if we accept that there might be aspects of the situation that we are not aware of, and be willing to revise our opinions once new information is received.
2. Normalize: Anything new and uncertain is frightening to the brain. So whenever we meet a new client, start a new project, face a new challenge our reaction might range from slightly uncomfortable to a full-blown panic. Usually just recognizing that we are having this reaction can help diminish the stress response significantly. Having an explanation for an experience reduces uncertainty and increases a perception of control. Once we become more familiar with the situation and develop strategies for handling it, it will become normalized.
3. Reorder information, or reevaluate: The brain stores all information as a complex map of the world. It is arranged as a hierarchy in order of importance to us. Simply deciding that something is not important and not worth the time and mental effort rearranges our mental map and changes things. Reordering how we value the world changes the hierarchical structure of how the brain stores information, which changes how it interacts with the world. We can decide to deal with important things and not sweat the unimportant stuff.
4. Reposition, or find a new perspective from which to interpret the
situation: This is the most challenging type of reappraisal, because the older we
get the more opinionated we become, and more set in our ways. Our view becomes
the only rational and common sense approach. Yet there are as many points of
view as there are people. If we take on another person’s perspective, we are
changing the context through which to view the situation. This is useful not
only for interactions that involve two people, but for any challenge that we
might be dealing with. We can try to view the situation from another person’s
perspective, or from the perspective of another culture, or even from our own
standpoint at a different time in our life.
Emotional Change Cycle
The emotional change cycle refers to the process by which individuals transition through various emotional stages when confronted with significant life events, challenges, or personal growth. Understanding the emotional change cycle can provide valuable insights into how emotions evolve, how we respond to them, and how we can navigate our emotional landscape more effectively.
Each person reacts differently to change, and not everyone will experience all of these phases. The more aware we become, the better able we are to understand and adapt to change successfully. If we understand the emotional cycle of change, it normalizes the range of emotion that occurs and keeps us and our organization from going off the rails. The cycle is present in all kinds of scenarios — a change in leadership, the introduction of new vision, the move from one type of board structure to another, and when learning new leadership competencies.
What Is the Emotional Cycle of Change?
The emotional cycle of change was developed in 1979 by psychologists Don Kelly and Darrell Connor. The cycle outlines some of the common emotions we may feel as we experience, react to, and navigate change. It describes the emotions most of us experience during the change process. While the cycle has distinct phases, not everyone will experience the same emotions or in the same order.
What’s important is that we use the cycle to better anticipate the emotional journey as we encounter new experiences. The emotional cycle of change is relevant to almost any personal or professional context provided we seek out the change ourselves. This is the sort of experience that starts with unbridled optimism which transitions to realism, pessimism, and self-doubt.
The Five Stages Of The Emotional Cycle Of Change
The
emotional cycle of change has five phases.
1 – Uninformed Optimism: This is the most exciting
phase where we imagines the possibilities and potential of the new unit. We
may only imagine best-case scenarios since any obstacles or setbacks have not
yet been experienced. Emotions: excitement, joy,
anticipation.
2 – Informed Pessimism: We have been working long
enough to realize how much there is to do or learn. We feel less positive about
our chances of success and may question whether the endeavor is worth it. Emotions:
frustration, fear, anger, anxiety.
3 – Valley Of Despair: The third phase is the
valley of despair, a critical juncture where most become overwhelmed and admit
defeat. While this point represents rock bottom, those who push forward may be
rewarded for their perseverance. Authors Kelly and Connor were more optimistic,
calling it “hopeful realism”. We may find ourselves moving between
the first three phases as we try something new, realize it’s too hard, and
rationalize that doing something else would be easier. Emotions: despair, shame,
hopelessness.
4 – Informed Pessimism: Positive
emotions start to return in the fourth phase as we start to believe that
success is at least possible if not likely. Hope and faith drive us closer to our
objective through hard work and determination. Small wins build critical
momentum. Emotions: hope, optimism, humility, happiness.
5 – Success &
Fulfillment: Here,
we have launched a new product or seen our company reach unicorn
status. We see and experience the results of change. Emotions: gratitude,
contentment, pride.
Knowing the journey and embracing the ride helps. This knowledge is useful to increase our chances of healthy change.
The Kubler Ross Change Curve
The Kubler Ross change curve is a highly acclaimed and compelling model explaining how people behave and react to change and upheaval. Even when we can see the benefits of change (and we might not always agree on those benefits), it can be difficult to instigate, process and accept.
The Change Curve can help leaders predict how people might adapt to change, so that they can provide the most appropriate support to help with the transition. Especially so when it is seen along with an understanding of Belbin Team Roles, as this can help to approach change within a group or team. Armed with both methodologies, leaders can understand how different people react to change and facilitate the process to make adapting to a new situation easier for everyone.
There are six stages most people go through in responding to change. At each stage in the curve, they will experience different emotions. These are: shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, and are based on the 5 stages of grief, also by Kübler Ross. These stages vary from person to person. They may not occur in the ‘right’ order, or even sequentially as outlined below - it’s possible for people to return to a prior stage if it is incomplete.
Stage 1 – Shock: People
might feel numb and unable to react in the first instance.
Stage 2 – Denial: It
may take time for people to process the new information and consider its
ramifications. They may behave as though the change is not taking place or is not imminent.
They may refuse to engage with the reality of the situation.
Stage 3 – Anger: When the reality of the
situation can no longer be denied, people may become angry. This anger
might be directed at themselves, or others. They might disregard the
rules, disengage or lash out and seek to blame other people as a defense
mechanism against the discomfort. Of all the change curve emotions,
this one has perhaps the greatest potential to cause damage in team
relationships.
Stage 4 – Bargaining: Here, people begin to engage
with the change, but not in a constructive way. People bargain or look for trade-offs.
Their suggestions might be impractical or unrealistic and are a means of
seeking to manage the change so that it does not affect them adversely.
Stage 5 – Depression: People are likely to be
experiencing loss, doubt and confusion as well as fear, regret and even guilt.
They may
become withdrawn and disengaged, and have difficulty focusing on work.
They might begin to question how their job might look in view of the changes,
and whether they can continue in their role.
Stage 6 – Acceptance: People stop focusing on what
has been lost. They begin to rationalize and take steps towards adapting to the
change. This stage often sees a rise in morale, engagement and performance. It
is still
possible for people to regress to an earlier stage at any time.
Stage 7 - Problem-solving: By the end of the process, people are not only resigned to the change, but are actively committed to it. They might test and explore different elements of the new ways of working. They become engaged in solving problems that the change may have created and are looking for solutions to move things forward. It is only now that the organization begins to see the return on investment (ROI) for making changes.
***To be continued in Chapter 02 (Embarking On Organizational Change, Change Curve Leadership, Belbin Team Roles and the Change Curve, Leading and Managing Change: Reflections Along the Curve , Alternative Models for the Emotional Cycle of Change, Implementing Change)
Link to Chapter 02:
Content Curated By: Dr Shoury Kuttappa
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