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EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS...
Manage Transitions
 All leaders need to initiate change in order to effectively manage an organization. Exceptional Leaders recognize that individuals go through a psychological transition when change occurs.
Change is external. Transitions are the internal process that an individual goes through during change. There are four phases of transitions:
Phase One-Disbelief and denial, where the change does not seem real and the person can deny that it will affect them emotionally.
Phase Two-Resistance, where negative emotions emerge such as anger and anxiety. This can lead to unproductive behavior such as complaining, inactivity, and stalling out on implementation.
Phase Three-Exploration, where one's focus shifts toward the future and one sees possibilities and opportunities.
Phase Four-Recommitment, where one becomes committed and comfortable with a new beginning.
This psychological process can take a short time or long time.
Frequently leaders have already gone through their own transition process prior to initiating an organizational change and they fail to recognize that they are ahead of their employees. They then expect others to simply "get over it", rather than being patient while others go through their own process.
 Thought Provoker
- Do you expect others to just "get over it", or through it, when they are in the midst of a internal transition that is precipitated by a change that you initiated?
- During the denial phase do you communicate and then communicate some more, keeping everyone informed each step of the way?
- During the resistance phase do you engage in a listening campaign seeking out opinions and surfacing implementation issues?
- During the exploration phase, do you facilitate others in the development of options, energizing them for the future?
- During the recommitment phase do you help others celebrate the new beginning?
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Exceptional leaders know when to communicate, listen, facilitate, and celebrate during the transition process which everyone goes through in response to change.
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