Working Through the Phases of Change
Introduction
The idea of change brings a mixture of reactions among its recipient. By understanding the phases of change people go through, we will be able to enforce the new ideologies effectively. The purpose of writing the paper is to work through the steps of change. In doing so, we will be able to identify the phases of change people go through; the strategies used to overcome the stages and the responses elicited by the people during the process. As we shall see, the topic is essential in helping employers and administrators in administering changes.
People experience different changes, either in school through the introduction of evening classes or reduction of salaries at their work areas. Such changes usually receive a negative or a positive response from the affected persons. According to LaMorte (2016), there are phases of evolution that people undergo, and they are grouped in stages which include the pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and finally the termination stage. The first one is the pre-contemplation stage where people do not intend to take action anytime soon. People put more emphasis on the cons than the pros in this step. It is then followed by contemplation as people begin to recognize the problematic part of their behavior. They start to put equal emphasis on the pros and cons of the changes. In the preparation stage, people begin to take small steps as they believe that behavior change can lead to a healthier life. At the action phase, the changes have already been accepted, and people intend to uphold them.
The maintenance stage involves people trying to sustain the new or modified behavior changes and avoid having a relapse. Finally, at the termination stage, no one has the intention to go back to their previous behaviors. Different strategies have been crafted to help people maintain the changes. Consciousness-raising assists in increasing awareness concerning healthy behavior. Self-reevaluation makes the people understand that the healthy response is what they should be embracing. On the other hand, environmental reevaluation enables employees to understand the effects their unhealthy behavior has on other people. Through self-liberation, people can be committed to the belief that they can adopt the healthy changes. Rewarding positive behavior encourages students to accept changes. Stimulus control can be used to provide reminders and cues about the benefits of behavior change while removing those that encourage negative behaviors.
Challenges are also experienced during changes with people reacting and providing different responses. Denial is a significant response portrayed by many. Most employees refuse not to do what they are told, or they do not accept the changes. Others feel angered and should be provided with opportunities to address their grievances. Others may try to negotiate with the relevant authority with the aim of reaching an amicable agreement. Some people may end up being depressed when they realize that the organizations will not concede to their demands. According to LaMarsh Global (2017), some workers may accept changes if they believe in the desired state. Changes which are either positive or negative should be scrutinized to make sure that they are embraced peacefully and that they are done to the benefit of the people involved. Brusse (2013) states that employees will be more committed if they are convinced that there is a robust business strategy in helping them move forward and that the policies and visions can be implemented. Most previous experiences of change prepare people to be open-minded when faced with changes in the future.
Conclusion
From the article, we have seen the phases of change and some of the devastating effect they have on those involved. Some may respond by accepting the changes while others may boycott or try to negotiate with the relevant authorities to come up with better options. Therefore, care should be taken to come up with ways of introducing changes that may be acceptable to both parties.
References
Brusse, J. (2013, June 2). Leading people through the 4 stages of change. Retrieved November 7, 2017, from Hewlett Packard, Enterprise: https://community.hpe.com/t5/Digital-Transformation/Leading-people-through-the-4-stages-of-change/ba-p/5957219
LaMarsh Global. (2017). The 7 Emotional Phases Employees Go Through During Change. Retrieved from LaMarsh GLOBAL: www.lamarsh.com/the-7-emotional-phases-employees-go-through-during-change/
LaMorte, W. W. (2016, April 28). The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change). Retrieved November 7, 2017, from Behavioral Change Models: sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/BehavioralChangeTheories/BehavioralChangeTheories6.html
