Positive Response To Change
cf.: Negative Response to Change
Source: Derived from Daryl Conner, Managing At the Speed of Change
- Uninformed Optimism.
Not enough is known about the change to really see the costs, but the
benefits have been made clear. Remember that "Majored change
decisions are always based on information that will later prove to be
inadequate." (p. 137)
- Informed Pessimism
This stage always follows uninformed optimism. It is natural, and
inevitable - Expect it!
- Checking Out
This differs from Informed Pessimism, in that Checking Out is a withdrawal
from the change decision. Public checking-out can at least be
addressed. Private checking-out goes underground, and takes forms such
as resentment, sabotage, or undermining of the change efforts.
Whether or not a person checks out depends on each individual's tolerance
for pessimism (p. 139)
- Hopeful Realism
There are still many issues to be resolved, but the light at the end of the
tunnel can be seen. Most resistance has been overcome, and now it's
just an issue of doing the work.
- Informed Optimism
Strong confidence in the success of the change effort earned through trial
by fire.
- p.137- Major change decisions are always based on information that will later
prove to be inadequate.
- p.138- "Informed pessimism" always follows uninformed optimism.
- p.138- Informed pessimism is a doubting of the change decision; checking out
is a withdrawal from the change decision.
- p.139- Whether or not a person checks out depends on each individuals
tolerance for pessimism.
- p.141- To manage change well you must use sober selling as your
approach.
In the early stages of a project when enthusiasm is high, you must
intentionally tell targets what the true costs of the change will be.
- p.142-143- Anticipating informed pessimism does not mean that you can
circumvent it.
- p.143- But since you know such things are at least in the realm of
possibility, you are not as surprised that you were surprised.