“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
Imagine you’re an amateur trapeze artist suspended in mid-air. You’ve just let go of one rung and are stretching your hand out to grab the next one swinging toward you. That moment of uncertainty and fear can be compared to what we call the “Chaos Zone” of change. In his landmark book Managing Transitions,© William Bridges laid out the 3 zones of human psychological transition underpinning any successful change. These consist of:
- Loss Zone – We have lost “the way things were”
- Neutral Zone (as in “neutral gear”) – Innovation, adaptation, and reworking of the new situation begin
- New Beginnings Zone – We achieve the desired change, and it feels right
The Neutral, or as we call it, “Chaos Zone,” represents a psychological period of disorientation following the “loss” phase of any change. It occurs between accepting the loss of “the way it was” and actively engaging in the new approaches necessary for the desired organizational change. You’re implementing new technology, integrating a newly acquired company, reorganizing and trimming your leadership structure, or just asking your organization to take it to the next level of productivity. The change itself is easy to describe and a breeze to track in Excel spreadsheets and project management platforms. But the psychological and emotional transitions necessary to turn those metrics green aren’t things you can put in a spreadsheet. It’s the messy, human, emotional part of getting people to let go of what they have clung to and avoid getting discouraged when everything you’re asking them to do doesn’t go smoothly.
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Just as a trapeze artist must trust their instincts and training, leaders responsible for driving change must learn what it means to manage the transitions underlying successful change and trust their instincts to lead their teams to the new beginning. Navigating the Neutral Zone requires floating through and not clinging to the chaos and using it as an opportunity for growth and innovation. This requires facing head-on, with eyes wide open, that in this Neutral Zone nothing feels secure, missing the next rung will happen again and again, and the unhappy surprises, misstarts, and misalignments will feel somewhere between crappy and terrifying. Every day. Until you’re through. Faith in yourself and your team and practicing a few simple but essential techniques will help you catch that next rung over and over.
Here are my top 5 tips to help you fly through the Chaos Zone with maximum odds of reaching the change you’re targeting with as little blood on the floor as possible:
1: Communicate Purpose, Picture, Plan, and Part – Clearly and Often
Just as a trapeze artist relies on the signals of their partners and coaches, clear and consistent communication is essential during the Chaos Zone. Ensure everyone in the organization understands the Purpose of the change, the Picture of the desired outcome, the Plan for reaching the goal, and their Part in making it happen. Be sure to break it down for them into small digestible bites.
Don’t just talk in lofty language about why the big end goal is such a great idea and forget to listen to challenges along the way that may require adjustments in how you get there. Open lines of communication will allow team members to voice their concerns and ask questions, helping to reduce anxiety and resistance.
2: Provide Training and Support
To successfully grab the next rung, a trapeze artist must be well-trained and confident in their abilities. Similarly, your organization must invest in training and support to help employees adapt to the changes. Provide necessary resources and opportunities for learning and encourage employees to seek assistance when needed. By equipping your team with skills and knowledge to navigate the new environment, you’ll foster a sense of confidence and competence.
Another great option is to train middle and front-line managers on the basic concepts of “transition management” and assign a “transition success team” to check in on how people are doing with the transition process. This strategy provides support and monitors where people need more.
3: Be Patient and Flexible
Just like a trapeze artist who misses a catch, it’s important to recognize that setbacks and mistakes will likely occur during the Chaos Zone. People will get discouraged, have doubts, and sometimes wish they could return to “the way it was.” Some may even sabotage or undermine change efforts with good (or not-so-good) intent. Expecting this and talking about how you expect this is essential to maintaining patience and getting people to stay the course.
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Remain patient and flexible, understanding that everyone is adapting to a new situation. And on this front, let’s be real. Showing care and concern when people endlessly complain and display negative attitudes is exhausting and annoying. But if you’re a leader, it goes with your title. Put your coin cup out and listen empathetically while steering people back to the Purpose, Picture, Plan, and Part mindset. Encourage your team to learn from setbacks and use them as opportunities for growth. Allow for adjustments to the plan as needed, and keep an open mind to new ideas and approaches.
4: Celebrate Small Wins
The thrill of a successful trapeze performance comes from overcoming the fear of the unknown and showing others the outcome of practicing with faith and belief in the plan. Similarly, celebrate the small wins and milestones achieved during the transition process. Acknowledging progress boosts morale and reinforces the idea that the organization is moving in the right direction. By focusing on positive achievements, you’ll create a sense of momentum and motivation to keep pushing forward.
5: Foster a Strong Organizational Culture
Just as supportive teamwork is vital for a trapeze artist, a strong organizational culture can help your employees navigate the Chaos Zone with greater ease. Emphasize the importance of overcoming The Five Dysfunctions of a Team© (a Patrick Lencioni model for team success); specifically, practice and encourage respect and vulnerability-based trust, healthy conflict, commitment based on alignment, accountability, and a constant focus on collective team success in achieving each step necessary for the journey of change.
The care and concern part of leading people through the Chaos Zone is worth repeating. This is a simple concept, but the exact place where we fail the most in leading change. We think because the change is obviously good for the company, and we’ve had a few all-hands meetings to go over why, people should just fall in line no matter what it means for them in their day-to-day. We label them as having “bad attitudes,” and sometimes we’re right. But often, we have misinterpreted what we’re seeing due to ignorance of the human psychology at work. Encourage team members to seek understanding of each other (rather than blaming and finger-pointing), support one another, and work together to overcome challenges. By fostering a culture that values unity and resilience, you’ll create an environment that is better equipped to handle the chaos and sense of “groundlessness” that can loom large without a mindful focus on the psychology (not just the end goals) of human adaptation to change.
The Chaos Zone in transition management can feel like a daunting, hopeless, and “stuck” space, but it’s actually an opportunity for growth and transformation. By following these top 5 tips – clear communication, providing training and support, being patient and flexible, celebrating small wins, and fostering a strong organizational culture – you and your organization can float through the Chaos Zone like a skilled trapeze artist, ready to reap the rewards of the new beginning!
“Just when I discovered the meaning of life, they changed it.” – George Carlin
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