Book Review: The Change Cycle

The Change Cycle

How People Can Survive and Thrive in Organizational Change

A Practical Guide to Navigating the 6 Stages of Change,

by Ann Salerno & Lillie Brock

I was specifically looking for a book on how leaders of organizations can implement change in the best way possible. I stumbled upon this one at the library, and now they are beating down my door to get it back. I like to think I help keep the library in business with my late fees.

This was an excellent book. Rather than the usual psycho-babble, it was written in language that made sense. It was organized logically with relevant examples, and it wasn't overly focussed on emotions, but did acknowledge they play a part.

The 6 stages of change:
1. Loss: fear, cautious, paralyzed
2. Doubt: resentment, sceptical, resistant
3. Discomfort: anxiety, confused, unproductive
4. Discovery: anticipation, resourceful, energized
5. Understanding: confidence, pragmatic, productive
6. Integration: satisfaction, focussed, generous

The book begins by taking a look at how four general personality types might need extra help or caution with certain stages, and how change might specifically trip them up. I wish this concept would have been carried throughout the book a little more, but it was food for thought while reading through the stages.

Thanks to my upbringing and temperament, I am someone who finds change relatively easy, and often invigorating. Unfortunately, I can tend to disregard and run roughshod over the feelings and reactions of others. This book gives clear guidance on how to bring people onside to change, to recognize the stages they are going through and work with them through the cycle.

The Chinese word for change is 'wei ji.'
It means two things.
Crisis and opportunity.
That bears repeating.
Wei ji. Crisis and opportunity.