Managing Personal

Transitions

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Personal Transitions

 Change does not only impact organizational

processes; technology and structure. It also
impacts organizational members

 The process of change for people is known as a

‘personal transition’; this means moving from
one situation to another.

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Incremental v Discontinuous Change

 Incremental change has little impact on people. It

is slow change, minor adjustments and part of
continuous improvement

 Discontinuous change happens more quickly,

affects much more what we do, is long lasting
and is not seen as part of the process of gradual
improvement

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Personal Cost of Change

 Research has found links between dramatic life

changes and illnesses such as depression.
Suicide has been linked directly as a response to
major personal change

 People with positive outlooks on life and high

self-esteem are affected less by major change.
Past experience of change also has a protective
effect.

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Social Readjustment Rating Scale

 Different life changes have different impacts.

Some are mild, some are major.

 The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

scores personal change experiences depending
on their impact.

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 Social Readjustment Rating Scale

 On the SRRS, a ‘life crisis’ is a score of 150 or more

over a 12 month period.

 Mild life crisis is 150 – 199 life change units

 Moderate life crisis is 200 – 299 life change units
 Major life crisis is more than 300 life change units

 Look at the following table…add up your life change

units for the past 12 months.

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 Social Readjustment Rating Scale
Rank Life event Units
1 Death of a spouse 100
2 Divorce 73
3 Marital separation 65
4 Jail term 63
5 Death of close family member 63
6 Personal injury or loss 53
7 Marriage 50
8 Fired from your job 47
9 Marital reconciliation 45
10 Retirement 45
11 Illness of close family member 44
12 Pregnancy 40
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 Social Readjustment Rating Scale
Rank Life event Units
13 Sexual difficulties 39
14 Birth of new close family member (brother, daughter etc) 39
15 Business difficulties 39
16 Worsening of financial situation 39
17 Death of close friend 37
18 Change to different kind of work 36
19 Marital arguments 35
20 Taking on large loan (e.g. to buy a home) 31
21 Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan 30
22 Change in responsibilities at work 29
23 Son / daughter leaves home 29
24 Trouble with in-laws 29
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 Social Readjustment Rating Scale
Rank Life event Units
25 Outstanding personal achievement 28
26 Spouse begins / ceases work 26
27 Begin or end school / university 26
28 Move house / apartment 25
29 Change friends or personal habits 24
30 Trouble with your boss 23
31 Change in work hours or conditions 20
32 Change in living conditions 20
33 Change school / university 20
34 Change recreation 19
35 Change place of worship 19
36 Change in social activities 18
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 Social Readjustment Rating Scale
Rank Life event Units
37 Taking on a small loan (for example: TV or computer) 17
38 Change in sleeping habits (amount, time of day etc) 16
38 Change in number of family get-togethers 15
40 Change in eating habits 15
41 Holidays 13
42 Christmas / major annual celebration 12
43 Minor violations of the law (caught speeding for example) 11

Can you think of any others that are not

listed?
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 Adjusting to Change

 When individuals adjust to organizational changes they

experience a process of “personal transition”

 You will now do an exercise that asks you to reflect on

how you have reacted to change that involved a personal
transition.

 You can compare your reactions with the typical pattern

of reaction presented a bit later.

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 Your Experience

 Think of a change you have experienced that:

- Was lasting in its effects
- Took place over a short space of time
- Challenged your world view

 For this exercise, the experience you choose does not

have to be work related.
Answer the following questions in writing

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 Your Experience

1. ENTRY

When did you realize that the transition was to take place?

How did you know?

What did you feel at the time?

What did you do / how did you behave? 13

 Your Experience

2. During the Transition

Did your feelings and/or behavior change during the transition?

Are you able to identify any stages that highlighted differences in

the way you reacted to the change?

If so, what were these stages?

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 Your Experience

3. Exit

When did you realize that your transition had ended…and how did
you know?

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Change as Transition

On the next slide is Bridges Model of Transition

(1991)

Bridges saw change as beginning with an ending

then moving on to a new beginning via neutral
zone. He said these three phases are not
separate stages divided by clear boundaries…
rather, the phases overlap. His model shows the
relative dominance of each stage.

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Change as Transition

Ending

Start
Neutral Finish
Zone

Beginning

Time
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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

 People who go through change experience a variety of cognitive

and emotional states

 Transitions typically progress through a cycle of fairly predictable

states…this is true whether the change is desirable or
undesirable; voluntary or imposed.

 Each person experiences each stage to a greater or lesser extent

and for varying periods of time. We are all different.

 Understanding this cycle is a big help to change managers in

organizations

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 Transition Stages
Internalization, reflection
& learning
Mood

Denial
Consolidation
Shock
Depression
Testing

Letting go & Acceptance of

reality

Adams et al. (1976) Understanding and Managing Personal Change

Time
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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

1. Awareness / shock

 The person first becomes aware of a change and reacts with shock if
the change is sudden and unexpected or if the consequences are
serious.
 The individual can become overwhelmed and anxious. They might
struggle to think clearly or make decisions.
 Some people may become unable to act – paralyzed by fear,
confusion and indecision.

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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

2. Denial

Individuals seek security so they cling to the past to reduce their anxiety.
Attention is focused on the known and familiar
People deny the situation to themselves. They think it will not happen or
that they can stop it from happening.

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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

3. Depression

When people accept that change is going to happen and they cannot
prevent it, individuals experience a feeling of loss of control.
Feeling that we cannot control the situation we are in, feelings of
depression, anger, resentment, sadness, withdrawal and confusion take
over.

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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

4. Letting go

Here the individual accepts the need to change.

Usually people have realized that things cannot go on as they are and
some change is necessary.

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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

5. Testing

Here the individual begins to get involved in the change.

Experimental involvement occurs. People will get frustrated when initial
experiments fail – they will continue to doubt the value of the change
As individuals have success with the changes they gradually begin to
see how change can work

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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

6. Consolidation

This stage progresses at the same time as the “Testing” stage we just
looked at. They happen simultaneously.
Consolidation of experiences with changed processes, practices,
technology etc. leads to new behaviors.

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 Stages of Psychological Reaction

7. Reflection, learning and internalization

The change now becomes the normal and accepted way of doing things.
It becomes ‘natural’.
The old way of doing something is forgotten or looked back on as the
past.

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition

 We cannot stop or circumvent the psychological stages people

experience during change.
 However, as change agents we can facilitate people’s progress
through the stages.
 Helping people is particularly useful when some people get ‘stuck’ in
one stage and cannot move on.
 Facilitating people through the stages involves intervention
 Intervention means stepping in and providing support or help in a
range of different ways.

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 Small Group Activity

 Form a group of 4 or 5 people.

 Imagine you are the Change Management Team for Liberty Airlines
America (LAA). Your airline’s new CEO has announced dramatic
changes for cabin crew. There will be new uniforms; new in-flight
service procedures; new ways of measuring and rewarding
performance and now some cabin staff will be based overseas in
Beijing to reduce costs and facilitate better crew changes. All cabin
crew will take turns of being based in Beijing for 3 months out of 12.
 Cabin crew have just heard the announcement…you must plan HOW
to facilitate them through the stages of transition…

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 Facilitating People through Transitions

 For each of the 7 psychological stages of transition you must suggest

some practical interventions / strategies to support & guide people
through change. Think back on earlier lectures for some ideas.
 Reminder – the 7 stages
 Shock
 Denial
 Depression
 Letting go
 Testing
 Consolidation
 Reflecting, learning & internalization

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition:
Shock
 We can minimize the shock by preparing people that change is coming
and consulting and involving all people from the very beginning.

 Also, when an announcement is about to be made that will shock

people, consider:
- who is best to make the announcement
- Timing: early, when people are listening
- Method: face to face is best if possible
- Content: all at once or piece by piece?
- Reasons, explanations, justifications
- Dialogue: show empathy, talk often, invite questions

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition:
Denial
 We must first diagnose what is being denied, e.g. the change isn’t
necessary, it is not real, it doesn’t affect me and so on, then decide
whether it would be helpful to:

 Confront denial gently and supportively

 Keep repeating your change messages
 Give people examples of what must change
 Arrange demonstration and simulation examples
 Establish and keep to the change timetable
 Make people have to engage with the reality of change
 Act quickly after the announcement of change

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition:
Depression
 The change manager can intervene to help others accept and
understand the situation by:

 Providing information, reassurance and encouragement

 Listening sympathetically and being positive
 Be non-critical about how others feel
 Provide opportunities for people to vent and grieve
 Help people feel good – identify their strengths
 Focus people on the future: how good things will be
 Talk up the benefits of change
 Involve people; keep them busy and participating

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition:
Letting go
 The change manager can help people let go of the past by:

 Explain the need for change in terms of benefits rather than problems.
Don’t ‘rubbish’ the past
 Provide challenging targets towards the change goal
 Focus people on deadlines
 Eliminate symbols of the past
 Mark the ending by ceremonies and rituals
 Let people carry forward souvenirs and memories

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition:
Testing
 The change manager can encourage testing by:

 Create space, time and resources for people to test

 Promote creative thinking
 Help people identify options
 Encourage risk taking and experimentation
 Avoid punishing those who make mistakes
 Empower people to help themselves
 Eliminate the drivers of old behaviors
 Praise and celebrate successes
 Encourage networking; provide regular feedback

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition:
Consolidation
 The change manager can facilitate consolidation by:

 Reviewing performance and learning

 Recognize and reward achievement
 Get them to help others and share their experiences
 Help them to build successes
 Broadcast people’s successes

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 Facilitating Progress Through a Transition:
Reflecting, learning & Internalization

 Reflecting, learning and internalization can be facilitated by:

 Helping people review the experience of change – run review

workshops; discussion forums
 Conduct formal, post-implementation reviews
 Get people to help others and share their experiences.

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