Managing Change

Part of the requirements in full filling the duties associated with my job, was mandatory training to increase management skills, and reinforce existing skills. An awesome teacher and mentor, had a theory that I've found very useful over the years.

An organization or business that faces significant change, is inevitably going to reach a stage he called, "the valley of despair". During this stage, a decision will be made, that will alter the group to such a degree, that it will have reinvented itself.

Imagine the stress and anxiety of being in such a situation, jobs and levels of income might be at stake. The fear of adopting previously unknown business practices and the ever present threat of competition makes it impossible to remain in your comfort zone. The possibility of failure, has the ability to drag morale, to unacceptable levels.

The pain of the known, becomes preferable to the thoughts of the unknown. Talks of a better future, are met with barely concealed disdain. Does any of this sound familiar?

The loss of jobs associated with the decline of our historical economic base? The exodus of family's that has frayed the community fabric? Taxed excessively and dismissed far too easily by a large percentage of our elected leaders? Could it be we have reached the near edge of the valley?

In the valley of despair theory, there will be the initial brave souls, who attempt to cross the valley and explore the other side, to see if prospects are good. Some will make it, others won't. Successful participants in this initial group will encourage others, some, will be convinced. Many in this second group will be scared, but encouraged by the leaders, will continue to the other side. A third group exists, this group, had to be convinced to leave initially, seeing the difficulty in crossing, they won't even contemplate the journey.

I guess the purpose of this post is to ask the reader, which group are you in? Hammond, is at a cross-roads. The decisions made in the next couple of years are going to affect the region for the next couple of decades. These decisions are difficult, and they are going to be expensive on many different levels, not just monetarily. I would only ask the reader to resist the feeling of disdain when a brighter future is discussed. Weigh the choices overall, be inquisitive and let your opinion be heard.