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We fear change and become angry because we fear that we
will lose control

Medical research shows that perceived or actual loss of control is the major
cause of life-threatening stress.

We can overcome this fear and anger by creating a sense of involvement
and control of at least our own small piece of the world. The new science of
perception dynamics is aimed at giving people the feeling that they have at
least some control over the part of the business that they care about, their
own jobs. People do not generally want “empowerment” as it is promoted
by “the let my people go” school. What they want is to be listened to when
they have an idea about how to do their own job better and, hopefully, more
cost effectively. This ties in with the technique outlined above, but if they
have been ignored or slapped down in the past, risking the new behaviour
may be seen as a high risk. That is why exemplary professional facilitation
skills are needed when a company introduces employee ideas workshops.
Grim silence or “war stories” are often the alternative outcome if the thing
is badly handled.

The cost of change, in terms of extra responsibilities, effort or
perceived risk must be paid now

The rewards lie somewhere in the future. We are an “instant gratification
society” and we are out of the habit of waiting. Since waiting is now seen
as an additional cost we bargain to try and get a better deal.

This is another reason why, when we involve people, it needs very sen-
sitive and skilled facilitation. If we simply appear to encourage the expres-
sion of grievances and concerns, we give an impression that we are offering
to resolve them. What we need to do instead is to have people tell us: “if we
make this work, what do you think would be in it for you?” In this way we
emphasize that the “bargain” is that they create their own salvation by
doing things in a new and better way and they protect their future by, for
example, cutting costs now. What is more, by forcing them to list an
impressive range of valued outcomes, we build commitment to the whole
enterprise.

n Is there a compelling reason for changing, or are we in danger of
changing for change’s sake?

– Are people aware of that reason?

n Are we piling change on change?

– Are we giving changes enough time to deliver results before we
introduce something new on top of untried novelty?

– Are our people experiencing “change fatigue”?

– Is the cost of change to the individual greater than the rewards?

n Have people really established what is in it for them if this change
is successfully implemented?

190 Key management questions