"Avenues to Wholeness: Finding Wholeness in Seasons of Change" Webinar
January 23, 2020
Particularly around the New Year, many of us think about ways that we could make positive changes in our lives (in areas such as health, education, relationships, and career goals), but find it difficult to follow through and make those changes permanent. The same is true for organizations that we are a part of and support—we might know the ways we would like our organizations to change and adapt but find it difficult to get the changes to stick. In their book, Immunity to Change, Robert Keegan and Lisa Lahey lay out a reflective four-column process that helps both individuals and organizations identify what might be keeping us from making changes permanent. This webinar taught participants about the four-column process and engaged in discussion about the kind of changes that stick.
To get an idea of what was covered in the webinar, read the following seven points:
-
“People don’t fear change, people fear loss”-Ron Heifetz
-
When there is a change in practice, process, rituals there is resistance because of fear of loss
-
In order to talk about change, we have to be honest about loss
-
When we talk about loss, we must also talk about grief
-
Grief cycles: denial, anger/blame, bargaining, depression, acceptance
-
“How do you help people change who desperately need to change but desperately don’t want to change?” - Scott Cormode
-
To help people to change, they need a “holding environment”. Creating a holding environment requires us:
a. Recognize and use the authority we have
b. Don’t let the problem be forgotten but don’t let the problem overwhelm
c. Allow yourself to face your fears and resist the “flight to authority”
d. Turn up or down the heat to maintain the holding environment.
e. Maintain discipline attention
f. Give the work back to yourself/others at a rate you/they can stand
Resources:
“Leadership without Easy Answers” by Ronald Heifetz
“Canoeing the Moutains” by Tod Bolsinger
“Art of the Gathering” by Priya Parker
“Immunity to Change” and “And Everyone Culture” by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey
“The Innovative Church” by Scott Cormode (Summer 2020/Baker)