making-sense-of-change-management

The underpinning theoryWithdrawalPausing to let things ‘sink in’Reducing energy and interest in the issueTurning to other tasks or problemsEnding the meeting.STOP AND THINK!Q 1.9Use the Gestalt curve to describe how a manager moves from aconcern about the team’s performance to launching andexecuting a change initiative.Summary of humanistic psychology approachFor the manager, the world of humanistic psychology opens up someinteresting possibilities and challenges. For years we have been told thatthe world of organizations is one that is ruled by the rational mind.Recent studies such as Daniel Goleman’s (1998) on emotional intelligenceand management competence (see Chapter 4) suggest that what makesfor more effective managers is their degree of emotional self-awarenessand ability to engage with others on an emotional level. Humanisticpsychology would not only agree, but would go one step further instating that without being fully present emotionally in the situation youcannot be fully effective, and you will not be able to maximize yourlearning, or anyone else’s learning.PERSONALITY AND CHANGEWe have looked at different approaches to change, and suggested thatindividuals do not always experience these changes in a consistent oruniform way. However, we have not asked whether people are different,and if so, whether their difference affects the way they experience change.We have found in working with individuals and teams through changethat it is useful to identify and openly discuss people’s personality types.This information helps people to understand their responses to change. Italso helps people to see why other people are different from them, and tobe aware of how that may lead to either harmony or conflict.50