Change Barriers, Are You Jammed Up?
Everything in the world is changing. Truth? Most will quickly say, “Yes!” What are some of the change barriers you are encountering?
Barriers, jams, and bottlenecks, what is hindering forward motion for you or with your team?
Change is Emotion
There is an emotional journey connected with change. Early in the process there is often fear, shock, and frustration. There also may be signs of denial and anger. Our bottleneck, the jam up point, is often connected with stress.
We may feel stuck at stress. Things aren’t moving, or are not moving fast enough. We haven’t let go of the old way and the new way feels too early to be sure. People feel stuck.
Getting unstuck means change. It means acceptance of the new reality, forward motion with the risk of the somewhat unknown.
When things get jammed up, when we are stuck or stalled, something magical happens on the other side. Breaking free of the jam, we accelerate.
Change Barriers
Construction zones on the highway, things slow down, cars merge from two or more lanes into a narrower path. Sometimes traffic stops completely. On the other side, cars burst out of the jam to get back to the speed limit.
This also happens with technology, the server, the router, the processor, things jam up and once free it is like a burst of new energy.
It happens with the ketchup bottle, the mustard, or anything that squirts. Lots of volume, behind a small opening, apply some pressure and it squirts. It’s breaking free from the bottleneck.
Change barriers, the obstacles, the bottlenecks, and even the stress or pressure associated with being stuck or stalled, that isn’t how the story ends. Unless you quit.
On the other side there is acceleration. The pressure is relieved, the flow is great. Things are faster, better, and ultimately more comfortable.
Sometimes we must get through the zone, to get back into the zone.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
