Secrets of Change Management

A One Day Primer

 Module 1:
Ways of Looking at Change

In the Module, we will learn to:

• Describe the concept of change.
• Explain different models of change.
• Develop an understanding of the importance
of transition.
 What is Change?
• Change is the introduction of something that moves
us outside of our comfort zone.
• The adjustment period to change depends on the
individual.
• It is easiest for those who can “flex” their approach
in different circumstances at life and work, but can
be devastating for people who are unable to let go.
• Change is needed if we are unhappy with where we
are or when old practices/processes no longer work.
 What is Change?
Five Aspects of Change
1. It is about doing something we are not used to doing.
2. It often leads us to think about what we give up, instead of
what we could gain.
3. Although some of us might be happy to greet change, for
many it can be overwhelming.
4. If the pressure to change is lessened, people will quite
quickly and naturally revert to their previous behaviors.
5. Sometimes, change makes people focus on the need for new
resources (materials, training, people) when their needs can
actually be met with existing resources.
 What is Change?
Myths About Change
1. Change always comes with resistance or
conflict.
2. Every aspect of a change must be planned
ahead of time.
3. No one will embrace it.
4. Management is responsible for change.
 The Bridges’ Change Model
• William Bridges is a highly respected
authority on change in the workplace.
• He says that many change initiatives are set up
to fail because they are “change heavy and
transition light.”
• Give two examples of change.
• Describe transition.
 The Bridges’ Change Model
• Transition is what helps you come to terms with
change.
• A transition can be explained as having three stages:
– Ending: This is the adjustment to not doing something in a
familiar way. We have to let go of something that is well
known, even dependable.
– Neutral Zone: Here we are in a sort of waiting period,
handing in mid-air, without access to what we did in the past
and with no instruction about the future.
– New Beginning: Here we embrace the little known or
unknowable and start over.
 The Bridges’ Change Model
• You can help others survive a big
transition. For each of the transition
stages below, provide two to three things
that you could do.
1. Ending
2. Neutral Zone
3. Beginnings
 The Bridges’ Change Model
• One of the most devastating changes can take place
is when you lose your job. In this circumstance, the
Endings stage could include the following:
– Losing regular income
– Losing touch with colleagues and friends
– Not having somewhere to be every day
– Having to change future plans
– Having to change the way that you apply your
knowledge, skills, and talent
 The Bridges’ Change Model
• What transition targets could you set for
the neutral stage of a job change or job
loss?
• What would you do to mark the
beginning stage of this type of transition?
 The Conner Change Model
• Daryl Conner wrote a best selling book in
1992 that described “The Speed of Change.”
• Conner’s model emphasizes the importance
of preparing for the transition.
• It also discusses the importance of keeping
an organization in a state of “perpetual
unrest.”
The Conner Change Model
 The Conner Change Model
People have a need for control.
• In order to deal with change, we need to
accept that there are just some things we
can’t control.
• You may also want to focus on the things
about the situation that you can control, such
as your reaction to it.
 The Conner Change Model
The need for control can be met by dictating,
or at least anticipating, the future.
•We can get a head start on dealing with change by
identifying some possible ways that the situation
could shape itself.
– For example, if you’re in charge of restructuring the
department, you may want to keep in mind that one
of your staff members may choose not to accept a
new position, even though you have decided to
assign it to them.
 The Conner Change Model
Expectations are established based on what
can be dictated or anticipated.
•If you expect that your staff member will accept a
new position, then you are expecting that the change
has been entirely within your control and you have
managed it well.
•However, if you open yourself up to multiple
possibilities, then you are expanding your
expectations, making it more possible that reality
will match your expectations.
 The Conner Change Model
If reality matches expectations, you feel in
control. If reality does not match
expectations, you lose that sense of control.
– If the staff member suddenly decides to quit
rather than accept their new assignment, you will
likely feel as though the impending change is out
of your control. To avoid this, it’s important to
be aware of the big picture and to keep
expectations in control throughout the change
process.
 The Conner Change Model
• If some of the difficulty in managing
change comes from our expectations,
how can we help people manage change
in terms of their expectations?
 The Janssen Change Model
• People all react to change differently and
will naturally transition at different speeds.
• The Janssen model uses the metaphor of a
four-room apartment, where the individuals
in a room are each at a similar state of their
transition, but the four rooms combined
represent where the entire organization is.
The Janssen Change Model
 The Janssen Change Model
• Consider a change that you are currently
undertaking at work. Write it down.
• What room do you think you are in?
• Why?
• What strategies can you suggest to try
and move as many people as possible
from the Confusion room to the Renewal
room?
 Six Reactions to Change
• People react differently to change.
• You can use the following terms to put language to
how people react to change and to understand what
that means for managers who are responsible for
implementing change in the workplace.
– Innovators
– Early Adopters
– Early Majority
– Late Majority
– Late Adopters
– Diehards
 Six Reactions to Change
Innovators
• Those who want to try new ways of doing
things or who have responsibility for
continuous improvement.
• They will be pushing for change, eager to
make things more efficient and up to date, and
ready to try something different.
 Six Reactions to Change
Early Adopters
• The first to embrace the changes.
• They may even rush in before they fully
understand the change and why it is necessary.
• They welcome change, either because they
immediately see the benefits or, perhaps,
because they prefer variety to routine.
 Six Reactions to Change
Early Majority
• Those who are influenced by initiators and early
adopters and who prefer to be ahead of the wave
rather than swamped by it.
Late Majority
• They hold back until they are sure they know
what they are doing and until they believe the
change has a fair chance of working. Only then
do they come on board.
 Six Reactions to Change
Late Adopters
• The last to come on board and they may not
come willingly.
• They are not easily convinced of the value of
change, but they can be moved to accept the
change.
 Six Reactions to Change
Diehards
• Resist the change.
• They do not come on board.
• They may be terminated or they may be
moved to a backwater position in the
organization where their resistance interferes
with operations less.
• They can become angry and bitter about the
way things are going.
Six Reactions to Change
Six Reactions to Change
 Six Reactions to Change
Case Study
• If Jim is an Early Adopter, how will he
adapt to his new dog?
• If Jim is a Late Adopter, how will he adapt
to his new dog?
 Summary
• Change is a simple word, but a complex topic.
• Different models of change have evolved over time to
reflect the need to pay more attention to the process
of transition and the changes in attitude that take
place, as opposed to solely focusing on the desired
changes.
• If we focus our efforts on the Innovators and Early
Adopters, they will be leaders who can model and
promote the benefits of the changes underway; they
will also demonstrate how to make those transitions
successfully.
 Review Questions
1. Bridges describes change as having three stages. List them
here in the order that they take place.
2. Both Bridges and Conner focus on what aspect of change
as being the most important?
3. What is the difference between change and transition?
4. When a change is accepted by __________ of people, it is
termed embedded. When change is adopted by
__________ of people, it is ______________.
5. The Janssen Four Room Model describes where people are
as they make their way through the transitions associated
with change. Provide the name of each room and include a
brief description of each of the four stages.
 Module 2: Making the Change
In this Module, we will learn how to:
• Determine the different variables that need to
be present in order to effect change.
• Use the right information to make decisions.
• Understand who is responsible for
implementing change.
 Identifying the Need for Change
• An organization may decide to make changes
long before people know that changes are
coming.
• Reviewing their own strategic plans, the needs
of stakeholders, and long-term goals can all
stimulate the need for new processes,
procedures, or results.
 Identifying the Need for Change
• Consider changes that you have seen at
your workplace or home in the past twelve
months.
– Who decided that change was necessary?
– Do you think that the changes benefited your
workplace or family?
– Were you involved in deciding that change needed
to take place?
• List three examples of when change can be
needed.
 Identifying the Need for Change
Case Study
• What are six aspects of this change that
the company needs to consider?
 Identifying the Cost and Benefits
• When identifying costs, you must be objective
and open to what the actual impacts of the
change will be.
• When people are lobbying for change, they
may leave certain aspects of the equation out
in order to make the changes seem more
palatable.
• List three ways you could ensure that all
costs are included in a proposed change.
 Identifying the Costs and Benefits
• Create a template for identifying the
honest costs and benefits of a change.
• This may be an example of something at
work or at home.
 Setting the Vision and Goals
• To maintain a competitive advantage and
remain viable in a marketplace, every business
must make changes.
• Unfortunately, not all change initiatives
deliver the desired results.
• In order to succeed, everyone needs to
understand the reasons for change, as well as
their individual and collective goals.
 Setting the Vision and Goals
The following points were developed through research
using executives who collectively and openly shared the
pitfalls of implementing major initiatives that failed.
That makes them essential lessons in facilitating
change.
– Define success in advance.
– Leaders must be active role models.
– People are the greatest variable; front line staff
generally implement wide scale change.
– Know your capacity to adopt change.
Responding to Change
 Responding to Change
Top Management
• In a traditional company, top management may
underestimate the impact that change has on
their employees.
• They may isolate themselves in order to avoid
hearing negative feedback about the changes.
• They establish the strategic plan and want
employees to go along when a change is
announced.
 Responding to Change
Middle Management
• Managers in the middle feel the pressure to make the
organization change according to the direction from top
management.
• They feel pulled in different directions, and may lack
information and leadership direction needed to focus on
multiple priorities.
• They are besieged by upset, resistant, or withdrawn
employees who no longer respond to previous management
approaches, and they feel deserted, blamed, or
misunderstood by their superiors.
 Responding to Change
Employees/Workers/Associates
• Workers can feel attacked and betrayed by changes announced by
management. They are often caught off guard, not really believing
that their company could do this to them.
• Many respond with resistance, anger, frustration, and confusion.
• Their response can solidify into a wall of “retirement on the job.”
• They become afraid to take risks, be innovative, or try new things.
• They experience a loss of traditional relationships, familiar
structure, and predicable career advancement patterns.
 Responding to Change
• Is this the case in all change initiatives? Of course
not.
• However, wide scale change that affects a majority of
employees or a particular work group can leave a
wide swath of destruction in its wake.
 Responding to Change
• If you were the manager responsible for
“Change ’97,” what would you have done
differently to reduce the trauma that the
employees experienced?
 Creating a Strategy
• In order to successfully change, we must first
know what we want and how to best arrive at
it.
• Before we can undertake the project, a strategy
must be developed that addresses both the
transition underway and changes in thinking
that are necessary.
 Creating a Strategy
• As you define your strategy, you will have to
include the steps required to build and sustain
commitment, as well as handle the impact that
the changes will have on your organizational
culture.
• On the following slides, you will find some
suggestions that you can adapt to your
particular organization.
 Creating a Strategy
Relationship Building
• Getting through a transition will require that
people work together and collectively accept
responsibility for achieving goals.
• Forming relationships gives us the opportunity
to share energy and to develop a sense of
group identity and belonging that helps
individuals support one another, as well as the
greater cause, through a transition.
 Creating a Strategy
Deliberation and Debate
• Change strategies must be discussed and the
salient points well thought out.
• This helps to frame the issues as well as
develop a shared perspective.
 Creating a Strategy
Shared Vision and Goals
• People, particularly adults, do not appreciate being told
what to do and how to think.
• If an organization changes fundamentally and people are
simply told to change or leave, with no reason or context
in which to decide about either, many will leave (if not
physically, they will check out emotionally).
• Involve people in this level of development and what
follows is a much richer layer of trust and shared
meaning.
 Creating a Strategy
Diversity
• Fundamental change is not possible without
involving everyone with a stake in the issue.
• Failure to involve people at all levels of the
organization, then, would be a reason that
change will fail.
 Creating a Strategy
Mindset
• Foster a change mindset in your organization.
• A crisis can be a major impetus for change, but we
don’t want to go through crisis management on a
perpetual basis.
• Instead, we can foster a shift or mindset where
people are tuned in and turned on to embrace change.
• This requires a shift from seeing change as a threat to
seeing it as a constant.
 Creating a Strategy
• Creating an organization of change does not
mean that we always want to rely on the same
language.
• People can get complacent or disengage if we
use the same language all the time, so we need
to talk about change in different ways.
• Creativity, versatility, and innovation, as well
as personal development, are demonstrations
of change.
 Implementing the Strategy
• You may have already noticed that we are
differentiating between implementation and
realization.
• Implementation is the “doing” and realization is
the “maintaining.”
• Plenty of organizations and people do a good job
at deciding what they need and they may create a
great implementation plan, but somehow, the
actual implementation is beyond their grasp.
 Implementing the Strategy
• Once you decide on your approach, you will make a
commitment to it and get things underway.
• Are you ready? Once you have identified your
strategy, do a quick check in with yourself, by
answering these questions. How committed are you
to the change that is about to get underway?
– Very committed
– Somewhat committed
– Not at all committed
– Not sure
 Implementing the Strategy
• Write down your personal commitment to the
transition that is about to begin.
– For example: I am committing myself fully to
identifying $700,000 in savings for our
organization within the next 12 months without
losing any employees. When I feel my
commitment wavering, I will review the vision and
goals and put together the support that I need to
get me refocused on my commitment.
 Summary
• People are the most important asset that any
company has, so it is important that their needs are
adequately met in order to make it through
transitions.
• Clearly identifying the need for change is supported
by understanding the cost and benefits to making
those changes.
• Establishing a clear vision and goals will help to
promote the plan, as will involving the entire team
in selecting and implementing change strategies.
 Review Questions
1. What is the greatest variable in any change
initiative?
2. Leaders learn to delegate effectively in order to
become successful. During a change, however,
what is their most important role and how can they
demonstrate it?
3. Describe “capacity for change.”
4. List five different strategies that could be useful in
a change implementation plan.
5. Explain the importance of shared vision and goals.
 Module 3: Making Change Easier
In this Module, we will learn how to:
• Assess your capacity for risk.
• Communicate effectively during change.
• Empower employees as they undertake
transitions.
 Planning for Change
• Planning for change involves high-level thinking
and management skills.
• Keep in mind that people experiencing change will
be more likely to embrace the change when they
understand the reason for it, see the benefits, and
understand that the leadership is committed to
seeing that the changes occur.
• Remember that one of the key elements is to focus
on the transition more than the actual change itself.
 Planning for Change
• To ensure that you make the changes as easy
for people to realize as possible, you can take
advantage of project management approaches
to help you organize tasks, establish priorities,
and monitor your progress.
• Before you start scheduling your project, you
need to make sure that you are aware of the
things that could negatively affect your
success by determining risks and constraints.
 Planning for Change
• A constraint is something that will affect the
scheduling of a task.
– Examples can include the availability of staff, a lack
of funds, limited commitment from leadership or staff,
or scheduling concerns.
• A risk is something that could happen to negatively
impact a task.
– Examples include the risk of poor weather or the
possibility of staff going on strike. You must plan for
risks and continue planning as your project rolls out.
 Planning for Change

Risk Probability Impact Response

Description on a scale of 1 to on a scale of 1 to
5 5
(1 = very unlikely; (1 = very little
5 = almost certain) impact;
5 = disastrous)
 Preparing a Schedule
• Once you have assessed the risk, you can start
scheduling your tasks.
• Before you start, make sure you have gathered all the
information you need, including peoples’ schedules
and things you will need, such as:
– upcoming vacation time
– when employees are available, not available, or very
busy
– other projects that are underway at the same time that
may conflict with yours
 Preparing a Schedule
Task Duration Resource Cost
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
 Communication Skills
• Sometimes people get upset about what they
do not know; they can be afraid of losing
something that is important to them, like their
job, status, or friends.
• Your ability to listen to and support your team
as they transition through change is an
attribute of a great leader.
 Communication Skills
• We can do a lot to keep problems from
happening in the first place.
– Avoid catch phrases like, “I agree” or “Yes, that’s
true.”
– Don’t reinforce a concern; express your empathy
by rephrasing the key topic of the person’s
statement. Some phrases you might use are:
• I hear…
• I understand…
• I think you’re saying…
 Communication Skills
• The concept of rephrasing before answering
allows you:
– A chance to empathize with the concern
– An opportunity to show the person you understand
the concern
– A moment to think of an appropriate response
 Communication Skills
• Finally, check back to be sure the individual is
satisfied with your explanation.
• Your ability to handle these situations
effectively will play an important role in your
overall communication skills and your ability
to create a win/win environment.
 Communicating the Change
• The is no perfect formula for communicating
change.
• Every situation, each group of employees, and
the goals of each initiative will be different.
• There are some common things that we can do
that will improve the exchange of information
and contribute to the chances of success.
 Communicating the Change
First, a few things to watch for:
• People don’t always pay attention when you
are speaking to them.
• When people say they are paying attention,
they may not be.
• When someone says, “I know,” they may not.
• Saying something over and over, slowly or
loudly, does not improve understanding.
 Communicating the Change
Communicate Changes Personally
• The value of personal contact cannot be overstated.
• Meet with staff at all levels and explain the initiative
to them in language that they can understand.
• They do not need “pie in the sky” projections,
industry jargon, or smokescreens; they need to know
what is happening and why, their roles, and the
anticipated outcomes.
 Communicating the Change
If You Don’t Know, Don’t Blow
• If you do not have all of the answers, do not
pretend that you do by blowing smoke.
• Know what you plan to say when you say it, and
make sure that you have all of the available
information that is available.
– If you look lost or confused, people will question your
sincerity.
– If you lie or mislead intentionally, they will question
your integrity and no longer trust you.
 Communicating the Change
Put Rumors to Rest, Quickly
• Make sure that your presentations are in
person, and as often as necessary to keep
information flowing and to stop rumors that
can damage your plan.
• If you have business operations in multiple
areas, you will have to consider how to share
your message effectively in each region.
 Empowering Employees
• When you provide your people authority that
reflects the scope of their job and allow them
to make the choices that reflect the authority
that they have, they are empowered.
• Staff who are empowered tend to make the
right decisions for the organization, which will
help you to move ahead during major change
as well as in the day-to-day operation of the
business.
 Empowering Employees
• If you have never provided employees that
kind of latitude, or would like to do so more
effectively, the following four points can help
you to empower employees.
– Goal focused
– Genuine
– Benefits
– Ask for feedback and accept it
 Empowering Employees
Goal Focused
• Your employees will benefit when they know
what their goals are and that these goals are
realistic.
• Have people work on challenges which they can
measure and see results for, like production
goals or sales targets.
• If you do not provide tangible measures, they
will not support your changes.
 Empowering Employees
Genuine
• Compliment people who are on board with the
initiative, and do it sincerely.
• Celebrate success publicly so that people see
the value in the work they are doing. They
need to clearly understand how they are
benefiting from the changes.
 Empowering Employees
Benefits
• People tend to ask What’s In It For Me
(WIIFM) as soon as they know there is change
in the wind.
• The trouble is that we spend a lot more time
explaining the exciting features of the new
“thing” rather than how it will benefit people.
 Empowering Employees
Ask for Feedback and Accept It
• If you want feedback, people will give it to
you unless you never act on it.
• Empowering employees is also respecting
their knowledge and skills by listening to what
they have to say and including them in the
process.
 Summary
• Change can be made easier by utilizing some of the
principles of project management.
• A systematic approach can provide the needed
structure, while allowing room for flexibility and
modifications as the implementation gets underway.
• Success with communication is another aspect of the
plan that will make the process easier; sharing what
you know about a transition honestly with staff builds
trust and reinforces the integrity that the plan has
been created with.
 Review Questions
1. Why is project management helpful in change
implementation?
2. List three important tools for your
communication plan.
3. Define constraint and risk. Provide an example
of each.
4. What is a genuine way to empower employees?
5. What are three misconceptions about
communication?
 Module 4: Coping with Change
In this Module, we will learn how to:
• Develop resiliency.
• Understand the impacts of stress.
• Add coping skills to our personal repertoire.
 Building Resiliency
• We can define resiliency as the ability to bounce back
from change, to focus on its positive aspects rather than
getting bogged down in the negatives.
• Daryl Conner, whom we introduced earlier in the
course, identified these five characteristics as key to
developing resiliency:
1. Positive
2. Focused
3. Flexible
4. Organized
5. Proactive
 Building Resiliency
Positive
• A positive attitude is crucial when dealing with
change.
• If you have difficulty staying positive, practice
smiling.
– When you smile, your body expects that there is
something worth smiling about; you can actually increase
the number of endorphins released in your body by
forcing yourself to smile. As with many good things, the
more you practice, the easier smiling becomes.
 Building Resiliency
Focused
• Stay focused on the change itself and what you
can do to manage it or make it the least
unpleasant.
• Try not to worry about things that are out of
your control.
 Building Resiliency
Flexible
• Change will be much easier if you try to
embrace it.
• Think of ways that you can adapt or things that
you can do to make the change easier.
 Building Resiliency
Organized
• If you are able to keep your work and routine
organized, then the change can be something
that you can celebrate in the sense that it is not
disrupting your routine; this can help it to be
less personal and easier to accept.
 Building Resiliency
Proactive
• Proactive is another of those words that can be
overused, but it really is necessary here.
• If you anticipate change in the early stages and
modify your expectations accordingly, it can
be much easier to prepare yourself for the
transition than it is in the later stages, when
you may be in the midst of change and feeling
disoriented or even a loss of control.
 Acknowledging Reactions
• Everyone affected will have a reaction. It is important
to be aware of this.
• Even positive change is a transition, so even those
who are pleased with the changes will have some
reactions they did not expect.
• Think of a time when you did not cope well with
a change. This may have been something
related to work or something at home. How do
you think the terms related to resiliency would
have helped you deal with that situation better?
 Dealing with Emotions
• Recognize and deal with emotions
constructively.
• List three ways that you could
constructively deal with your emotions.
 Identifying Adjustments
• Since adapting to change is about supporting
people through a transition and helping them
change the way they think, the earlier you can
identify goals, the better.
• You will be able to play a major role for
everyone concerned by coaching and
demonstrating new behaviors.
 Identifying Adjustments
• Providing information about change as a
process can be a part of the celebration that
kicks off a big change.
• Involve innovators and early adopters who are
ready to embrace the plan.
– Their positive reactions to stress, demonstrated
through their energy and enthusiasm, are an
excellent example for others to see.
 Identifying Adjustments
• Positive stress, also known as eustress, can be a
helpful tool in the change initiative.
• Positive stress motivates, increases energy
levels, and can drive people forward to embrace
the work before them.
• Having positive energy and stress available will
support the initiative that is underway.
• Can you think of five additional terms that
would define eustress?
 Managing Negative Stress
• We can use humor and games to relieve stress for
the same reasons people are encouraged to meditate.
• Concentrative meditation focuses the mind on an
object, sound, image, or thought, taking the mind
away from sources of stress. This results in
relaxation.
• A stress relief game can help people divert their
attention away from the stress, which helps them to
relax their minds.
 Stress Management Techniques
• Consider these methods as ways for you to manage
and embrace change.
– Humor
– Music
– Exercise
– Deep Relaxation Techniques
– Momentary Relaxation Techniques
– Deep Breathing
– Visualization
– Stress Management through Positive Self-Talk
 Stress Management Techniques
Humor
• Laughter truly is great medicine.
• In this day and age, however, we have to
ensure that jokes and humor respect the people
around us. Jokes that involve racial, political,
or religious sentiments are to be avoided.
 Stress Management Techniques
Music
• Music is another stress reducer for many
people.
• People may select music that helps them to
relax, almost meditate, or they may prefer
music that helps to provoke intensified
feelings of energy.
 Stress Management Techniques
Exercise
• As we already mentioned, exercise is an
excellent way to reduce stress and put us in a
good frame of mind.
Deep Relaxation Techniques
• Achieving a state of deep relaxation takes
practice. However, once you have learned a
particular technique, you will be able to become
deeply relaxed within a few minutes.
 Stress Management Techniques
Momentary Relaxation Techniques
• Momentary relaxation is more practical than deep
relaxation because it can be used whenever and
wherever you like.
• Developing a habit of taking short, recuperative
breaks throughout the day can counteract stress build-
up.
• They can also help us to prepare for
on-the-spot situations that are likely to produce stress.
 Stress Management Techniques
Deep Breathing
• The rhythm and regularity of breathing can
have a calming effect on your nervous system.
• Sit quietly, close your eyes, and let your
attention focus on your breathing. Breathe
through your nose and let your shoulder and
neck muscles relax.
 Stress Management Techniques
Visualization
• Imagine yourself in a restful place (on the
beach, in the woods, etc.).
• Try to imagine all the sensations you would
feel: sun on your face, wind in your hair, and
the sound of waves lapping against the shore.
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
• Self-talk is defined as the things you say to
yourself about a situation, as part of your
reaction to it.
• Negative self-talk often escalates the tension
felt during a difficult situation.
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
• Negative self-talk tends to become almost
automatic over a period of time; it reinforces
itself through repetition and is not easily
replaced by positive self-talk.
• In order to reduce your own stress levels, it is
important to become aware of when you use
negative self-talk.
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
• Many times, negative self-talk can be traced to certain basic
attitudes or beliefs that are distorted in some way.
• The most common negative attitudes are:
1. All-or Nothing Thinking
2. Overgeneralization
3. Mental Filter
4. Disqualifying the Positive
5. Jumping to Conclusions
6. Mind Reading
7. The Fortune Teller
8. Magnification (Catastrophizing or Minimization)
9. Emotional Reasoning
10. “Should” Statements
11. Labeling and Mislabeling
12. Personalization
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
All-or-Nothing Thinking
• You see things in black-and-white categories.
If your performance falls short of perfect, you
see yourself as a total failure.
– Example: “Just look at how I've messed up this
report! I knew I wouldn't be good at this job.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Overgeneralization
• You see a single negative event as a
never-ending pattern of defeat.
– Example: “Oh no! I'm going to be an hour late for
the meeting! Now they'll never accept my proposal
and the whole project will be dumped. I've done it
again!”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Mental Filter
• You pick out a single negative detail and dwell
on it exclusively, so that your vision of all
reality becomes darkened, like a drop of ink
that discolors an entire beaker of water.
– Example: “I really put my foot in my mouth at the
meeting yesterday. I'm so disgusted. I might as
well forget about trying to make those sales calls
today.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Disqualifying the Positive
• You reject positive experiences by insisting
that they don't count for some reason or other.
In this way you maintain a negative belief that
is contradicted by your everyday experiences.
– Example: “Sure, my department's production was
above average this month, but it was probably just
luck. I know it won't keep up.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Jumping to Conclusions
• You make a negative interpretation even
though there are no facts that convincingly
support your conclusion.
– Example: “Our Christmas party has been cancelled
this year. I bet it’s because my department’s
productivity was so low.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Mind Reading
• You arbitrarily conclude that someone is
reacting negatively to you and you don't bother
to check this out.
– Example: “Look at old Joe’s face. I knew he
wouldn’t like my report.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
The Fortune Teller
• You anticipate that things will turn out badly
and you feel convinced that your prediction is
an already established fact.
– Example: “No matter what we say or do, there's no
way Jack will let us proceed with the new budget.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Magnification (Catastrophizing or
Minimization)
•You exaggerate the importance of things (such as
your goof-up or someone else's achievement) or you
inappropriately shrink things until they appear tiny
(your own desirable qualities or the other fellow's
imperfections).
– Example: “Norman really deserves all the credit. I
know we had exactly the same results, but he was
working under more difficult conditions than I was.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Emotional Reasoning
• You assume that your negative emotions
reflect the way things really are when, in
reality, your emotions may be entirely wrong.
• You think that because you feel it, it must be
true.
– Example: “Marjorie seems to be angry with me. I'd
better avoid her for the rest of the day.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
“Should” Statements
• You try to convince yourself with “shoulds” and
“shouldn'ts” as if you have to be pressured by
guilt before you could be expected to do
anything.
– Example: Even though your only obligation to finish
a certain report is your own desire to complete it,
you might say, “I really should finish this status
report before I leave today or I'll feel guilty
tomorrow morning.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Labeling and Mislabeling
• Instead of describing your error, you attach a
negative label to yourself.
• Mislabeling involves describing an event with
language that is highly colored and
emotionally loaded.
– Example: “I read the train schedule wrong again.
Well, what can I expect? I'm such a jerk!”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
Personalization
• You see yourself as the cause of some external
event for which, in fact, you were not
primarily responsible.
– Example: “They're cutting back on staff in my
department, probably because I didn't keep the
department organized.”
 Stress Management through
Positive Self-Talk
• With the above examples in mind, take a
moment to recall the last time you were in
a stressful situation.
– What kinds of feelings did you have? What
did you think about?
– What sorts of things did you tell yourself?
– Can you remember any specific examples of
negative self-talk?
 Positive Self-Talk:
Coping Statements
• By replacing negative self-talk with positive self-talk,
also called coping statements, you can help reduce
your stress by shifting focus to a more positive
problem-solving mode before, during, or after a
stressful event.
• In many ways, coping statements are simply a means
for making us conscious of a positive outlook on a
situation.
• They may seem awkward to use at first, but they can
become a valuable resource for managing your stress.
 Positive Self-Talk:
Coping Statements
Depersonalization
• Let’s take our earlier comments about personalization one
step further. When undergoing change at work or at home, it
is a valuable skill to be able to depersonalize yourself from
the issues.
• It can also be very important to detach yourself from the
outcome of a change initiative.
– Do not associate your personal involvement in a transition as a part of
yourself; you may embrace the change and enjoy it, but it should not
be a “part” of you. That way, you can celebrate successes with your
team, and any problems are also solved by the team rather than
attached to you personally.
 Summary
• Resiliency can be learned, meaning that poor
coping skills can actually be improved through the
development of skills associated with managing
stress.
• Our approach to stressful situations can be made
less intense when we use positive self-talk and
develop our ability to cope.
• It is important that we acknowledge and deal with
our emotions, just as it is imperative that we
depersonalize ourselves from the outcome.
 Review Questions
1. What does this statement show: “Our team did not get new company
jackets this year. I bet it’s not really about the exchange rate. I think it’s
because my team missed our quota twice in six months.”
2. The following are examples of distorted thinking, known as “should
statements.” Rewrite the statements in a positive form.
– I should have been happy with where I was in my job.
– I should have kept quiet about the thefts going on and I bet I wouldn’t have been laid off.

3. The following is an example of emotional reasoning. What could Frank do

to put these thoughts into a positive frame?
– “Jane just walked past me without saying hello,” Frank thought to himself. “But I am sure
that she heard me say hello to her. I must have upset her yesterday when I asked a
question after her presentation. I guess I shouldn’t have asked anything in the meeting. I
bet she’s really ticked off with me; I bet she won’t run those reports that I need because
she is so upset with me.”
4. How does exercise help to reduce stress?
5. Provide two sample statements that are examples of positive self-talk.
 Module 5:
Maintaining a Sense of Control
In this Module, we will learn how to:
• Exercise our ability to choose.
• Make the best choices we can.
• Ensure that changes stick.
 Understanding Change
• As we have discussed throughout this course,
for people undergoing change, it is very
important to understand the following points:
– Change is constant.
– Our ability to take part in a transition shifts us
through the process of change.
 Understanding Change
• Which of the following areas of your life are
currently in transition (check all that apply):
___ job/career (promotion, layoff, reorganization, etc.)
___ relationship changes (new relationship, breakup,
marriage, etc.)
___ finances (making large purchases, getting out of debt,
holding too much debt)
___ addiction treatment (intervention, recovery, or awareness)
___ medical or health issues (recent illness, injury, etc.)
___ spiritual crisis
___ balance (exercise, diet, lifestyle)
 Understanding Change
• Of the areas checked in the question on the
previous slide, which did you experience
transition with in the last 12 months?
• What phase are you in for each of the
transitions?
– Contentment: Comfortable and confident in the status
quo.
– Denial: Afraid to admit that things have changed, and
spending a lot of energy focused on the past.
– Confusion: Still experiencing some anxiety, but ready for
constructive action.
– Renewal: Lots of energy for creative work.
 Understanding Change
• How do you want where you are now to be
different in confronting transitions that are yet
to begin?
• What opportunities or gifts are within your
current and upcoming transitions?
• What behaviors are you ready to release in
order to make your transitions less stressful
in the future?
 Exploring Your Options
• It is not true that we have to accept change.
Some people adjust to change while others do
not.
• That does not mean that change won’t occur; it
means that some individuals will not embrace
its benefits and they will not willingly involve
themselves in any kind of transition.
• It does not mean that those individuals will be
able to avoid change.
 Exploring Your Options
• If your options include accepting change
or rejecting it, how will you approach it in
the future?
 Examining the Reality
• Change is constant and, as we saw in an earlier
module, it may be more effective to teach
people that it is better to be in a constant state
of unrest than to undergo one change at a time
as if it were an unwelcome distraction.
• If we consider the amount of change that has
taken place in the last 100 years, we can also
appreciate how much more quickly things
have changed in the last 50 of those years.
 Examining the Reality
• What are examples of large-scale change
that have taken place in the last 50 years?
• What is the reality of change in your
workplace?
• Looking back over the last ten years and
forward into the next ten years, what
changes do you see taking place in your
workplace or industry?
 Examining the Reality
• Avoid:
– Committing to action that will have large or lasting results
– Trying to solve everything at once
– Becoming a victim
– Denying your feelings
– Taking personal responsibility for the outcome
• Commit to:
– Time for yourself to step back and regroup
– A narrow focus; defer important decisions until the time is right
– Leading people through change in healthy ways
– Celebrating successes as they occur
 Following the Change
• If we do not continue to reinforce what has
changed, people will quite quickly return to
their previous, well‑established habits and
routines.
• Evaluating how you thrive during transition
will help you to determine whether you are
headed in the right direction, toward the
greater goal or vision that you have set.
 Following the Change
• The following questions will help you determine whether
you are keeping on track and identify any adjustments that
need to be made. You can add a copy of this list to your
day timer or task list to help you stay on track.
– How many of my daily goals did I achieve?
– For those that I did not achieve, is there a theme or a pattern?
Perhaps an activity or issue that I seem to be avoiding? If so, how
am I going to address those in the future?
– Did I take action every day that helped me move toward achieving
my goals?
– What can I learn from last week’s actions and results that will help
me through next week?
 Your Behavior is Your Choice
• Remember that what you do – or don’t do – is
your choice.
• It is very seldom true that we have no choice
over anything. Work, and life, will continually
present you with opportunities to grow and
thrive.
• The daily practices on the next slide will help
you to focus on the future while enjoying the
present.
 Your Behavior is Your Choice
Survival Guide for Transition
• Expect only “good” from others and yourself. Not “perfect,”
but “good.”
• Practice kindness and generosity.
• Maintain a balanced and varied diet, and exercise.
• Surround yourself with positive and supportive people.
• Develop your spiritual self to keep true to your beliefs.
• Love what you choose to do for a living, but don’t make it
your identity.
• Nurture meaningful relationships and friendships.
 Your Behavior is Your Choice
Survival Guide for Transition ctd.
• Practice forgiveness and mean it. Forgive yourself for past
mistakes without guilt or self-recrimination. Do not hold
resentment against others. Acknowledge that all of you were
doing the best you could at the time.
• Celebrate continually. Small and large successes – and life
itself – are meant to be celebrated.
• Recognize that circumstances in your life are your reality and
that they reflect your thoughts and beliefs. Be open to the
learning that comes with those circumstances and accept your
part in creating what happens to you.
 Summary
• Change is happening all around us, and our ability to
weather the storm successfully is related to our own
choices and goals.
• Having a clear plan and following up regularly can help
us to keep on track and also ensures that we know when
we are successful and when we need to be flexible with
our approach and consider making changes.
• A commitment to successfully making transitions ensures
that we continue to learn and grow as individuals, even
within the structure of an organization.
 Review Questions
1. Even in difficult circumstances, we all have
____________. Choosing not to act is exercising a
_______________.
2. Accepting that change is ___________ may be more
helpful than approaching one change at a time.
3. List two activities to avoid during a transition:
4. Why is it important to celebrate successes during
transitions?
5. Our ability to maintain change is related to how much
energy we apply to reinforce the changes. What
happens if the valuable aspects of the change are not
supported after the transition period has ended?