Control and Change
Daryl Conner, who we mentioned earlier, lays out the human reaction to change like this:
People have a need for control.
The need for control can be met by dictating or at least anticipating their future.
Expectations are established based on what can be dictated or anticipated.
If reality matches expectations, then you feel in control. If reality does not match expectations, then you lose that sense of control.
People have a need for control.
In order to deal with change, we need to accept that there are just some things we cannot control. To cope, we may think to ourselves, “Well, if I could control this situation, I would like to do…,” anticipating the possibility that we may not have control. You may also want to focus on the things about the situation that you can control, such as your reaction to it.
The need for control can be met by dictating or at least anticipating their future.
We can get a head start on dealing with change by identifying some possible ways that the situation could shape itself. For example, if you are in charge of restructuring the department, you may want to keep in mind that one of your staff members may choose not to accept a new position, even though you have decided to assign them there.
Expectations are established based on what can be dictated or anticipated.
If you expect that your staff member will accept their new position, then you are expecting that the change has been entirely within your control and you have managed it well. However, if you open yourself up to multiple possibilities, then you are expanding your expectations, making it more possible that reality will match your expectations.
If reality matches expectations, then you feel in control. If reality does not match expectations, then you lose that sense of control.
If the staff member suddenly decides to quit rather than accepting their new assignment, you will likely feel as though the impending change is out of your control. To avoid this, it is important to be aware of the big picture and to keep expectations in control throughout the change process.