Change Management & Human Behavior

Change management is about people, not just processes. The human response to change is the number one reason why so many organizational change efforts fall short (Hiatt, 2006). Change doesn't have to be good to cause resistance; what causes resistance is the potential for uncertainty, loss of control, cognitive overload, and disruption of identity (Hiatt, 2006). While a strong strategic plan may provide the framework for successful change, ignoring the way people behave will ensure that no matter how good the plan is, success is unlikely.

Organizational change is a natural part of life in today's fast-changing world, whether the change is driven by an internal initiative, a merger or acquisition, a shift in technology, or a change in the marketplace. Understanding the way people react to change is the key to successfully navigating change and ensuring that employees stay engaged throughout the entire transition process.

The Human Response to Change

The reasons people resist change are rooted in the same ways that humans react emotionally and cognitively to all change. Specifically, change elicits predictable and identifiable reactions from humans, including:

1. Threat Response in the Brain

Change activates the brain's limbic system, creating an emotional reaction characterized by increased anxiety, heightened alertness and threat sensitivity (Rock, 2008). These emotional reactions can occur regardless of whether a change is perceived as positive or negative.

2. Loss of Predictability

While humans like predictability, when that predictability is disrupted, humans experience cognitive strain and discomfort (Heath & Heath, 2010).

3. Fear of Failure

Change often necessitates that we learn new skills or behaviors, which can create performance anxiety and self-doubt.

4. Identity Disruption

Humans develop a sense of identity based upon roles and routines. According to behavioral science, the greatest source of resistance to change occurs when there is a disruption to that identity (Bridges, 2009).

5. Emotional Labor

Adapting to change requires emotional labor, both emotionally and cognitively. At times of stress, people can experience change fatigue (Bernerth et al., 2011).

The Stages of Behavioral Adaptation

There are numerous models and theories regarding behavioral adaptation to change. Both the Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983) and change management frameworks (Bridges, 2009) illustrate that individuals go through similar predictable stages of adaptation to change. Those stages include:

• Awareness
  
  

• Understanding
  
  

• Evaluation
  
  

• Trial
  
  

• Adoption
  
  

• Integration
  
  

When leaders bypass these stages, misunderstandings, resistance and disengagement are likely to increase.

How Leaders Can Support Behavioral Change

Effective change management includes supporting both the process of change and the emotional aspects of change. High EI (emotional intelligence) is critical for leaders who wish to achieve this support.

Communicate Early, Often, and Honestly

Trust and speculation about the change are reduced when leaders communicate early, often and honestly (Kotter & Cohen, 2002).

Normalize Emotional Responses

According to research, employees are better able to adapt to change when their emotional responses to the change are normalized and validated (Bridges, 2009).

Connect the Change to Purpose

Employees are more likely to accept and support a change when they understand the purpose behind the change (Heath & Heath, 2010).

Create Psychological Safety

Psychological safety provides teams with greater resilience, innovation and adaptability (Edmondson, 2018).

Support Skill-Building

New skills and behaviors are typically required to facilitate change. Providing training and developing the necessary skills can increase employee confidence and decrease fear-based resistance to the change (Hiatt, 2006).

Recognize and Reinforce New Behaviors

Recognition and reinforcement of desired new behaviors are among the most powerful predictors of sustained behavioral change (Skinner, 1953).

The Intersection of Change Management and Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is important because it supports successful change through:

• Self-awareness
  
  

• Empathy
  
  

• Emotion regulation
  
  

• Social skills
  
  

High EI enables leaders to predict resistance to change and to respond to that resistance with compassion. Therefore, EI provides the foundation for supporting employees through the transition process.

Behavioral Health and Organizational Strategy

As described above, behavioral health intersects with leadership and organizational strategy.

Supporting Personal Change: Behavior Beyond the Organization

In addition to transitioning through change in the workplace, people are faced with the need to make personal transitions at other points in their lives (career, relationship, health, etc.). As such, research has shown that for change to be effective and sustainable, it must be supported by:

• Emotional regulation
  
  

• Realistic goal setting
  
  

• Accountability
  
  

• Self-compassion
  
  

• Consistency of behavior
  
  

Motivation is what begins the process of change, however, behavioral consistency is what maintains that change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983; Skinner, 1953).

Final Thoughts

Change management is fundamentally a behavioral issue. When organizations and individuals understand the behavioral aspect of transition, they can begin to build the resiliency and clarity needed to sustain themselves during long-term transitions.

At Kokoro Balance, we offer solutions for individuals and organizations alike through our expertise in developing emotional intelligence, enhancing workplace well-being, guiding leadership and providing consulting services grounded in the principles of behavioral health.

Whether your organization is undergoing significant restructuring or you are experiencing a major transition in your personal life, we can assist you in understanding and navigating change with confidence, clarity and compassion.

References

Bernerth, J. B., Walker, H. J., & Harris, S. G. (2011). Change fatigue: Development and initial validation of a new measure. Work & Stress, 25(4), 321–337.

Bridges, W. (2009). Managing transitions: Making the most of change (3rd ed.). Da Capo Press.

Edmondson, A. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth.

Wiley, Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.
 

Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2010). Switch: How to change things when change is hard. Broadway Books.
 

Hiatt, J. (2006). ADKAR: A model for change in business, government, and our community. Prosci Research.
 

Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.
 

Kotter, J. P., & Cohen, D. (2002). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people change their organizations. Harvard Business Review Press.
 

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(3), 390–395.
 

Rock, D. (2008). SCARF: A brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others. NeuroLeadership Journal, 1, 1–9.
 

Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. Macmillan.