Editorial summary. This is our text summary of an article published by gnews-site-cultureamp. Charts, figures, and the author’s full voice are at the original — read it there .
Editorial verdict
Practitioner wisdom backed by field experience. The 'loss not change' insight is compelling and the three-phase transition model (Bridges) provides actionable structure, though lacks empirical validation.
Executive summary
This article addresses the challenge of maintaining organizational culture during periods of change. The author, CEO of change agency NOBL, argues that people resist loss rather than change itself, identifying six types of loss employees experience: control, pride, narrative, time, competence, and familiarity. Drawing on William Bridges' transition model from the 1980s, the piece distinguishes between change (instantaneous events) and transition (behavioral processes requiring three phases: ending, adjustment, and new beginning). The author presents field observations from client work, illustrating how leaders commonly skip the 'ending' phase and jump to promoting new initiatives. The article concludes that effective change management requires acknowledging loss, addressing each component during adjustment, and celebrating only after proper transition work is complete.
Key insights
- 1People resist loss rather than change itself, with six primary types of loss identified: control, pride, narrative, time, competence, and familiarity
- 2Change happens instantly but transition is a three-phase behavioral process requiring sequential attention to endings, adjustment, and new beginnings
- 3Most leaders erroneously focus on promoting new initiatives while failing to acknowledge what employees are losing in the transition
Practical takeaways
- Identify what each stakeholder group stands to lose during organizational changes and directly address these losses
- Create ceremonies or memorials to honor past achievements before introducing new practices
Frameworks mentioned
William Bridges transition model
Three-phase process distinguishing change from transition: ending, adjustment, and new beginning
Source & Provenance
gnews-site-cultureamp
Not specified
February 14, 2018
Practitioner Guide
Global
Original source metadata is preserved. AI analysis is generated separately.
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