If you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and uncertain about what might be changing at work next week, take comfort: you’re not alone. The scale of organizational change is staggering. Consider this: in 2023, the management consulting industry in the U.S. grew at 7.7% — more than twice the overall U.S. GDP growth of 3%. When consulting firms generate more change strategies, leaders and employees face even more upheaval in the years ahead.
The Messy Middle of Change
Given this trend, we at Unstuck Minds aren’t surprised by the recent requests for workshops about dealing with change. While most organizations want help preparing for change, many reach out when they’re already stuck in the middle of it.
While developing a change workshop, I found unexpected insight from an emergency room physician. In an October 5th New York Times opinion piece titled “I’m a Doctor. ChatGPT’s Bedside Manner is Better Than Mine,” Jonathan Reisman wrote about his training in delivering bad news to patients and families. He was initially skeptical about using scripts and techniques, believing that “compassion and empathy couldn’t be choreographed like dance steps.”
As an ER physician, Reisman regularly delivers versions of this “bad news” script. He noted, “For patients and their families, these conversations can be life-changing, yet for me it is just another day at work – a colossal mismatch in emotion.”
This concept of emotional mismatch perfectly captures a crucial challenge in organizational change.
The Change-Emotion Gap
When leaders discuss change with their teams, they face a similar emotional disconnect. While not as devastating as delivering life-altering medical news, this mismatch creates tension that can derail productive dialogue about change.
William Bridges’ famous Transitions model emphasizes that while change is situational, transition is psychological. It involves three stages:
1. Ending: People let go of the old way
2. The Neutral Zone: A period of uncertainty and confusion
3. New Beginning: Individuals embrace new identities and ways of working
The greatest emotional mismatch occurs in the “neutral zone.” Leaders, eager for results, grow impatient while their teams still mourn the loss of familiar routines.
Bridging the Gap: A Better Approach
Just as physicians learn scripts for delivering difficult news, leaders can use specific prompts when change efforts stall. Instead of selling the benefits of change, try these questions — and resist the urge to solve, fix, or judge:
– “What’s making this change hard for you?”
– “Here’s what I’m still getting used to ________. What about you?”
– “Does it feel like something you value is going away? Like what?”
When you sense the emotional gap narrowing, explore possibilities:
– “Not everything is set in stone yet. What might we be able to influence now that things are changing?”
Remember: You can’t force emotional alignment. If people don’t feel safe expressing their true feelings, they’ll find others who share their emotional state — often colleagues who reinforce resistance to change.
The key to successful change management isn’t pushing harder; it’s creating space for honest dialogue about the emotional journey.
I agree completely with your post Jay. I learned from a mentor a long time ago that you can never get to the logic of the change effort until you first face and deal with the emotions . He called it ‘the time on the couch.”
This is one of your best ones! I just went through this as admin for my writing group! This explains A LOT