Pain Management.

Recent weeks have seen diagnostic and training sessions for the clergy of this diocese, including an all-day meeting which utilized a personal evaluation and a follow-up tool for change management from consultancy group MHS Assessments/Calm Worldwide.

These training instruments are advertised as useful for organizations addressing “both initiated and opposed change.”

The personal assessment, “The Change Style Indicator” is a psychometric evaluation which scores each respondent and places him:

“ . . . On a continuum between:

Conserver: prefers the known to the unknown

Pragmatist: prefers to explore the current situation in an objective manner

Originator: prefers a faster and more radical approach to change”

Respondents are advised, on the basis of the assessment, how to recognize their own approach to changes and those of other people, so that they can increase openness to change, both within themselves and others.

The follow up training tool, “Change Navigator: from Resistance to Resilience”, promises:

“A unique exercise in change exploration designed for organizations that are undergoing a specific change event.”

“It takes participants on a journey through the stages of transition that are common to periods of change and helps people to understand and navigate them. It focuses on the emotions of individuals as they navigate change and the predictable stages of transition.”

Participants are helped to identify what stage of transition they are in and learn how to move forward toward the later stages, overcoming resistance.

According to Calm Worldwide, the exercise is especially appropriate for organizations which:

-“Have planned a change event and are concerned about successful implementation due to potential cultural conflicts or lack of adoption.

-“Are currently undergoing a large scale change initiative and are worried about the progress being made due to organizational adoption.”

The training tool is billed as a way to achieve “happier people, faster buy-in, and better implementation of organizational change.”

Three additional points from the Change Navigator may be of interest:

“Derailing”

Participants are warned that certain behaviors enable change to move forwards while others prevent it. These “derailing behaviors” include denial (remaining uninformed or unwilling to question current models), resistance, uninformed exploration, and failure to commit. Participants are asked to list their own derailing behaviors.

Anticipating Pain:

That drastic changes produce negative emotions such as anxiety, confusion, frustration, and fatigue, in oneself and others, is noted. A leader’s job is to help others get past the pain and into a place where they can accept the changes.

Targeted Management:

Helping others navigate change isn’t entirely a straightforward matter, however, as it has to take into account the “change style” of those negatively impacted, and adjust the approach accordingly.

For individuals who may fall into the “conservers”category, for instance, one recommended strategy is:

“Present a minimum of information and ask what else is needed…don’t start by presenting the big picture.”

What changes are coming that diocesan leadership believes will be so painful as to be widely opposed and potentially resisted?