Research on change, change management and best practices related to successful implementation of change initiatives exists and is ongoing. Self-assessment and organizational assessment tools have been developed which assist in identifying resistance to change and probable change agents who can assist in implementing change. Core competencies of successful change agents have been identified and these competencies can be developed, practiced and honed by change agents within an organization. One of the most enlightening tools for understanding change and the inevitable process organizations and individuals go through with change initiatives is The Rollercoaster of Change SM , researched and developed by the Centre for Strategic Management. The Rollercoaster of Change SM gets right to the heart of change issues.
Organizational change is really about people change.
No matter how positive the anticipated change is considered to be it still creates stress and anxiety. It is only when these emotional reactions to change are vented, acknowledged and validated that the change process can effectively move forward through anger and uncertainty to hope and anticipation and finally commitment to the change initiative. A key to moving people in an organization through these phases of the Rollercoaster of Change SM is to be absolutely clear about the reasons for the change and the anticipated future result, even if it is not possible to be clear about all of the steps from here to there. These steps provide an excellent opportunity to involve people in the change process as it evolves. People support what they help create.