Leadership amidst uncertainty
How to manage using 3 stages of Transition

The dramatic slide in the stabilty of US and European financial markets during Sept/Oct 08 came abruptly and brought immediate and widespread uncertainty and fear.

The consequences may well be economic slow down and long term change in the way capitalist economies work, governments regulate and value is created.

This situation presents new levels of challenge for you as a Leader and Change Manager.

A 3 stage model of Transition developed by William Bridges almost 20 years ago is more relevant than ever in helping leaders better understand what is happening, more effectively manage how they think about events and respond more effectively.

So let's walk through the Transitions model and explore how we can apply it to manage successfully in this time of major change.

The 3 Stages of Transition

Bridges' "Transitions" Model

Transition 1: Understand what has ended

All things change and sometimes they come to an end.  For example, the previous level of certainty in the financial and banking sector has come to an end. Some might say the economic ‘good times’ have ended.

Whilst these may sound like negative comments, the first stage of William Bridges model, Endings, suggests that it is worthwhile facing up to what is lost or gone.

Managers must be able to quickly grapple with what is happening at both an emotional and cognitive level so they can be resourceful. Quite often the psychological transitions that accompany events need to be just as understood as the situational shifts occurring. So in this first transitional phase be aware of how you have interpreted the events, and how much of your response includes emotions of fear and loss.

Key questions to ask yourself

1. How am I responding to the situation? How is my team responding?
2. How much of our response is emotional?
3. What are the facts or how do I get them?

Transition 2: Discover opportunity in the Neutral Zone

Many leaders instinctively know that people want certainty. But the second stage of Transition is the Neutral Zone, which is characterised by uncertainty. As a manager it is worth recognising the fluctuating emotions and sense of dislocation that major change can bring.

Bridges model describes how common it is for people to feel uncomfortable with uncertainty in the Neutral Zone and so many organizations tend to draw back and draw within. This holds them in the Endings stage longer than necessary and they can become stuck or slow to react.

The upside of the Neutral Zone is the tremendous opportunities to create new ways of thinking and acting. Being in unfamiliar ground is a good time to trial, experiment and explore alternative futures with your team.

Key questions to ask yourself

1. How capable am I of acting decisively while being uncertain?
2. How can we use this change to think and act differently?
3. How can I help my team see opportunity amidst change?

Transition 3: Getting to new beginnings together

People deal with change differently and at different pace. Ultimately managers want their people to reach the 3rd stage of Transition, New Beginnings, where new ways are embraced and certainty returns.

It can take a long time for this stage to be reached when major change occurs. For example, the global economic crisis may take some years to resolve.

To reach this stage managers must be equipped in how to guide their group through the previous 2 stages. Doing this together will maximise the alignment and commitment to embracing change as a group, rather than having people muddle through themselves.

It requires sensitivity as a leader to the different stages people are at, and close communication with them about feelings and thoughts, not just expecting them to move on.

Key questions to ask yourself

1. On any given day, where are my people at?
2. How impatient am I to have everyone accept and move on?
3. When did I last talk with my team member about their response to change?

Summary

Using Bridges model provides a simple framework to talk about change and particularly the stages of Transition that describe natural emotional responses to change.

It can help build greater comfort with uncertainty, and enable people to seize opportunity by thinking and acting differently as a result of the changes happening around them.

For more information, you can read about the Transition model at http://www.wmbridges.com/resources/resources.html

--

FAST Meetings Co. support many clients through change to gain organisational benefit, team effectiveness and individual levels of Peak Performance.