Coaching Through Change
Author: Aly McNicoll LEAD Director
Stages of Concern
Organisational change happens one person at a time. The success of total change depends on the success of individual change, multiplied dozens or hundreds of times over.
To be successful in implementing change on an organisational scale, leaders need to zero in on individual concerns to inform their planning.
Research shows that people have predictable and sequential stages of concerns with change. These concerns, if not surfaced and addressed, can present formidable roadblocks to the successful implementation of change.
The first Stage of Concern involves Information Concerns. People want specifics about the change process. They want to have the chance to ask questions about the gap between what is and what could be. They want honest and direct answers.
Key questions at this stage include:
What is the change?
Why is it needed?
What is wrong with the way things are now?
How much and how fast does the organization need to change?
A good assumption at this stage is that people are smart and if they had access to the same information leaders had, they would come to the same conclusions. Leaders need to be careful at this stage to provide information about the change process , rather than try to “sell” the change to people. Be prepared for questions, provide as much information as you can and avoid the trap of withholding information because you don't want to raise anxiety.
The second Stage of Concern involves Personal Concerns, which are often the most ignored and the primary reason so many change initiatives fail. At this stage, people want to know why the change initiative will benefit them or what they will lose.
Specifically, people want to know:
How will the change affect me personally?
What is in it for me?
What will I lose?
How will I find time to implement this change?
Will I need to learn new skills or do I have the necessary skills now?
To compensate, leaders need to create an atmosphere of trust and genuine concern for how the proposed change will affect people personally. If leaders do not take the time to specifically address individual needs and fears near the beginning of the change process, they will find themselves retracing their steps because their concerns linger. People may comply with the proposed change for a short period of time, but if they have unresolved personal concerns, then they will not commit the discretionary energy required to successfully implement and sustain the change.
The third Stage of Concern has to do with Implementation Concerns such as system alignment, best practices, and the daily mechanics of making the change happen. In this stage, people ask themselves, What do I do first? Second? Third? How do I manage all of the details?
Additional concerns can include:
Where do I get help?
How long will this take?
Is what we are experiencing, typical?
How will the organization’s structure and systems change?
The best thing a leader can do when someone comes to them with a concern is to invest time in listening, clarifying and take a coaching approach to leading people through these predictable stages of concern. Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time addressing people's fears and feelings, or realise they are going to have to squander an unreasonable amount of time dealing with disruptive or ineffective behaviours down the track.
Get in touch with LEAD for information on our Leading Through Change courses, kicking off in 2023.