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Adapt

Assessing a Company’s Capacity to get People to Adapt to Change Companies are tested most severely during times of change, particularly change that is imposed from outside, but also during times of change that are self-imposed. Ken Blanchard, author of the One Minute Manager, says there are seven truths about change that we need to understand:

1. Change makes us feel awkward, ill-at-ease, self-conscious - expect it!
2. Change makes us think first about what we might lose or have to give up - allow people time to mourn.
3. Change makes us feel alone, even when everyone else is going through it, so we need to encourage people to talk to one another about the change.
4. We can only handle so much change at one time so don’t overdo it.
5. We are all at different readiness levels for change and we need to accept those differences.
6. Change makes us feel we do not have enough resources to cope so we need to encourage creative searches for new ways to respond.
7. When the pressure to change is off, we quickly revert back to old behaviours, so if the change is important, we can’t back off.

Indicators that your company may be having difficulty managing change

• Recent, significant change in the employee turnover rate
• Recent significant increase in employee complaints
• Resistance by top management to making necessary changes based on company’s previous negative experiences
• Increased use of sick leave
• Increase in lateness or absenteeism
• Failure to respond to significant opportunities or threats brought about by changes in the marketplace, the introduction of new technologies, new competitors, economic or demographic shifts, or otherwise.

Is your company a place where employees can adapt easily to change? Find out now!