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Four Responses to Change

July 16, 2002

"Almost anyone who joins the leadership ranks or is already a member will have to deal with some momentous changes during his or her career.  Some will sail through; others will be felled by layoffs and restructurings.  Many more will drift in a state of paralysis, waiting to be rescued.  How well you respond to change is a part of who you are and how you lead.

* The Overwhelmed
These individuals understand the nature of the change they are undergoing but can't let go of the old ways.  Instead they exhibit a litany of behaviors.  They withdraw and avoid.  They're also frustrated and anxious because they don't know how they fit in.  Their self-esteem is bruised.  The overwhelmed are professional victims.  By withdrawing, they give up their organizational power and their power over themselves.

* The Entrenched
These individuals are able to learn and change in the face of workplace transitions, but they have a hard time doing it.  Their primary coping mechanism is to perform the work in a narrow and limited manner.  The entrenched can be productive; but they often insist on doing things in the same old way, which can circumscribe their contributions severely. 

* The Bsers
Bsers appear comfortable with change but are really fooling everybody.  They don't display the fear, but neither do they take substantive action in response to change.  Bsers take on the challenge, but they don't give it much thought, and they want it to be over quickly.  They are confident that they can handle any crisis with aggressive shooting from the hip.  They're often impatient with the confusion and whining of their co-workers.

* The Learners
Learners respond actively to change.  They are the ones who tend to hold the organization together through transitions.  They possess self-confidence and optimism and are able to learn from experience and apply their skills to various situations.  They engage the challenge and grow from it.

At various times, each of us may exhibit all of these responses to change (Lee & King, 2001, pp. 94-96)."

Reference:  Lee, R. J., & King, S.N., (2001).  Discovering the leader in you: a guide to realizing your personal leadership potential.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass.

How do you respond to change?

Discovering the Leader in You is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center.  A complete listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu/

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Created: 2008-12-13, Updated: 2009-01-06