Managing Stress in Times of Rapid Change and Shifting Expectations

Arizona State UniversityNovember 18, 2003

Sandra L. Shullman, PhDExecutive Development Group-Ohio

P.O. Box 14425 Columbus, Ohio 43214

“The world doesn’t fear a

new idea.

What it fears is a new experience”D.H. Lawrence

CHANGE and STRESS

Rapid change and shifting expectations is common in most leadership roles today. It is what helped create your present job role, and it is what will continue to impact on and change your work environment.

Rapid change and shifting expectations over time is stress(ful).

CHANGE

FOUR BASIC PREMISES

• The change “trigger” is often beyond the control of the on-line people.

• The central focus must be on the impact of the change on people.

• People’s actions, behavior, and communication are key to the successful implementation of change.

• During change, the most effective way to proceed is to manage yourself first, and then influence others.

A CHANGE MODEL: REACTION TO CHANGE

ENDINGS

TRANSITIONS

BEGINNINGS

ENDINGS• The “Known” Ceases

• It happens quickly or slowly

• You choose it or it is forced on you

• You give your intellectual consent

• You have emotional reactions, frequently negative

YOUR VIEW OF CHANGE

Everyone looks at change differently.

Some view it as positive and necessary; others view it as negative and a problem.

A “change situation” is defined as any professional, career-related, or personal experience requiring a significant change in your performance or attitude.

1. What events immediately preceded the change?

2. How did you feel before the change?

3. What are your primary concerns about the change?

4. What are the consequences (real or potential) of the change to yourself and others?

5. How do you feel as a result of going through the change? Have you noticed any attitude or behavior change?

YOUR VIEW OF CHANGE

Key Questions

YOUR VIEW OF CHANGE

Based upon your description of this change situation, rate your feelings during this change using the scales below. For example, if you felt that the change was more of a threat than an opportunity, you would circle either a 0 or a 2 on the scale below. Please circle only one response for each pair of words.

1. Threat 0 2 4 6 8 10 Opportunity

2. Holding on to Reaching for the

The Past 0 2 4 6 8 10 Future

3. Immobilized 0 2 4 6 8 10 Activated

4. Rigid 0 2 4 6 8 10 Versatile

5. A Loss 0 2 4 6 8 10 A Gain

6. Victim of Agent of

Change 0 2 4 6 8 10 Change

7. Reactive 0 2 4 6 8 10 Proactive

8. Focused on Focused on the The Past 0 2 4 6 8 10 Future

9. Separate Involved with From Change 0 2 4 6 8 10 Change

10. Confused 0 2 4 6 8 10 Clear

YOUR VIEW OF CHANGE

Taken from Woodward and Buckholtz, Aftershock, 1987

INITIAL REACTION TO AN ENDING

Reaction to Negatively Viewed Change(Change as Loss)

Immobilization Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Testing Acceptance

Based on the work of Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Constant Challenges for Chairs

Role Ambiguity Role Conflict Role Overload

TYPES OF LOSS

1. SECURITY - People no longer feel in control or know what the future holds, or where they stand in the institution.

2. COMPETENCE - People no longer feel like they know what to do or how to manage themselves. People sometimes become embarrassed when they are faced with new tasks because they don’t know how to do it.

3. RELATIONSHIPS - The familiar contact with colleagues can disappear. People lose their sense of belonging to a group or a discipline.

4. SENSE OF DIRECTION - People lose an understanding of where they are going and why they are going there. Meaning and mission become unclear.

5. TERRITORY - There is an uncertain feeling about the area that used to belong to them. This can be a work space or role/job assignments. Territory can include psychological space and physical space.

Adapted from: Scott, Cynthia and Dennis Jaffee. Managing Organizational Change. Menlo Park, California: Crisp, 1989.

FOUR REACTIONS TO CHANGE

• DISENGAGEMENT (Withdrawal)

• DISIDENTIFICATION (Sadness/Worry)

• DISORIENTATION (Confusion)

• DISENCHANTMENT (Anger)

INDICATORS OF DISTRESSAS A RESULT OF CHANGE

• Feeling tense, anxious, or depressed

• Increased irritability

• Acting indecisive or troubled

• Lack of concentration; increased distractibility

• Perception of oneself as helpless; unable to act

• Increased procrastination

• Feelings of persecution

• Increased forgetfulness

• Inability to organize self

• Inner confusion about duties and roles

• Feelings of unexplainable dissatisfaction

• Uncertain about whom to trust

• Chronic fatigue

• Negative expectancies of the future

• Physical changes

THE “ORGANIZATIONAL BURNOUT” SYNDROME

Lowered moral and dissatisfaction expressed through:

• High personnel turnover

• Increasing absenteeism

• Frequent scapegoating

• Antagonism within pairs and groups

• Dependent individuals who manifest increasing dependence through anger at superiors and expressions of helplessness

• Maintenance of critical attitudes

• Lack of cooperation among personnel

• Progressive lack of initiative

• Increased job dissatisfaction

• Expressions of negativism concerning the role or function of the unit

Reaction to Positively Perceived Change

(Change as Gain)

(Check out - publicly or privately)

ORgo on to

Uninformed optimism Informed pessimism

Hopeful realism Informed optimism Completion

PHASES OF THE CHANGE COPING PROCESS

• Impact Phase - Characterized by a paralysis of effective action of relatively short duration

• Turmoil (Crisis) Phase - The peak of subjective and objective distress

• Adjustment Phase - Characterized by an internal process of fitting needs to new environmental conditions.(Internal decision making and

problem solving)

• Reconstruction Phase - A time when confidence and productivity return as effective

solutions are practiced.

CHANGE MODEL

4. Commitment1. Denial

3. Exploration2. Resistance

“How good things were in the past.”“They don’t really mean it.”NumbnessEverything as Usual AttitudeMinimizingRefusing to Hear New Information

“What’s going to happen?”Seeing PossibilitiesChaosIndecisivenessUnfocused WorkEnergy Clarifying GoalsSeeing ResourcesExploring AlternativesLearning New Skills

AngerLossStubbornnessBlaming OthersComplainingGetting SickDoubting Your Ability

“Where am I headed?”FocusTeamworkVisionCooperation Balance

THE TRANSITION CURVEPHASES OF TRANSITION

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

FU

TU

RE

INTERNAL SELF

PA

ST

DENY COMMITNumbness

Pain

Focus

Chaos

Provide Provide InformationInformation ClarificationClarification ExplanationExplanation

ProvideProvide ReinforcementReinforcement Positive FeedbackPositive Feedback

ProvideProvide Support Support TrainingTraining

ProvideProvide Feedback Feedback Process/StructureProcess/Structure Estimate GoalsEstimate Goals

EXPLORERESIST

Resilience

RESILIENCE is the ability to absorb high levels of disruptive change while

displaying minimally dysfunctional behavior.

Resilience involves being Positive Focused Proactive Organized Flexible

Strategies to Increase Resilience

Somatic (Physiological)—e.g., progressive relaxation techniques

Behavioral---addressing priorities, use of time, goals, action steps and support systems

Cognitive---addressing dysfunctional thoughts

In Conclusion…

How resilient are you?

What are you doing to manage your stress?

What can you do to help yourself and others build resilience?