Replying to LO24386 --
Re; Michael Orth's request for comments.
Speaking as an individual, and at times as a consultant/trainer who has
been involved with the introduction of workplace changes, I think that how
people react to change often depends upon who is doing the changing. In
other words 'I enjoy change - but I don't always enjoy being changed.'
This is why in my view a participative approach to change will usually
produce better results. If people have even a small sense of being in
control of the change process they will usually accept the change more
readily. However, when change is imposed from above then resistance tends
to surface quickly.
This is also true at a personal level when people are facing the
possibility of redundancy and loss of employment I find that those people
who are able to create a personal longer term plan than extends beyond
their present job, then they tend to cope better. For example a person
may intend to retire to another location in ten years time and so they may
say to themselves something like this: - "Well if my job is made redundant
then I'll start doing that course in horticulture and learn more about
Olive Growing straight away and see if I can get a job in a related field,
on the other hand, if my present job continues well then I'll continue to
read books on Olive Growing and maybe make a move into horticulture later
on." The point is that either way the person is in control of the change
at some level. When people think this way they usually tend to cope much
better with the stress arising from change imposed by others.
I look forward to following this thread.
Happy Easter.
Peter H. Jones
Peopletronics Limited
Tel. 64 4 569 8875, Fax: 64 4 569 8881
Web Page: http://www.peopletronics.com
--"Peter H. Jones" <peter@peopletronics.co.nz>
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