The Change Cycle

The Only Constant Is Change

Change is a fact of life. Your company probably engages in multiple change initiatives that require you to alter the way you work and to learn new skills. You might be required to move or you might even lose a job you thought was secure. Choosing change is one thing, but having it imposed on you without warning and with no choice can be a difficult, life-wrenching experience. Most people feel anxious when they hear rumors of change, and even more anxious when they confront it. If not managed, this anxiety can spin out of control and become destructive.

If you understand and work with the six stages of the “Change Cycle,” you can cope with your anxious thoughts as you go through each stage. Don’t passively accept change that is forced upon you. Address it by understanding and using the change cycle. You can learn techniques and exercises that will help you constructively engage in the change process, and end up stronger, more flexible and more experienced.

“Change Cycle Stage 1: Moving from Loss to Safety”

Sudden – especially big – change can be shocking. Uncertainty causes fear and fills you with a sense of loss. You long ...