Erickson Coaching Functional Flow Newsletter: April 2010

Dr. Marilyn Atkinson    Rae T. Chois

Why Can't You Make a Change You Need to Make?

Have you ever dealt with a situation where you really wanted or needed to make a change, but you just could not seem to do it? Have you looked enviously at others who seem to make transformations that allow them to reach their goals, wondering why they are able to do it and you aren't? In this article we will share the very basics of the formula for real change, so that you can apply this to your own life.

Richard Beckhard was a founder of the field of organizational development. Working with David Gleicher, he developed a formula for change to describe the conditions under which change can occur in an organization. It is also applicable to personal change.

This is the formula:D x V x FS > RC

This formula indicates that for real change to happen within one's thinking, family, organization, country, and so on, three important elements must be present:

·        Dis the experienced dissatisfaction with the current state or situation. (To enrich this formula, you may also wish to think of it as the difference between the current state or situation and the desired state, or the potential situation that you desire; and your awareness of your inner demand for change.)

·        V is the vision of the desired future state, of what is possible. (You may also associate the V with the values in which your vision is based.)

·        FS is positive first steps towards the vision and the willingness to take them.
For change to be sustainable, the product of all three must be greater than RC, the current resistance to change. Resistance to change is a normal emotional brain response. The emotional brain tells us to keep things just as they already are. Resistance to change may come from ourselves, our social group, or many other factors.

Any of the three variables, dissatisfaction (D), vision (V), or first steps (FS), may be strong on their own and start change in motion; yet sustainable change may be difficult. The biggest impetus to change comes when all three are strong together! According to Beckhard's change formula, to overcome resistance to change, you need to experience at least some degree of all three factors. If you're having trouble with a needed change, the first thing to do is figure out which element is low. To overcome resistance to change, here is what you develop:

·        A sense of dissatisfaction and a genuine demand and decision to go beyond the current situation.

·        A clear and compelling value-based vision of what could be possible.

·        Clear and feasible first steps that you are willing to make.

One of the best ways to support change is finding a strong solution focused coach, since he or she can help you move past your resistance to change by working directly with these variables. A good coach understands and uses a solid framework for the journey that first supports exploring the macro-vision (the purpose and outcome that the person has in mind) and then focuses on the micro-vision that includes the first steps to move into action. The art of transformational conversation starts with asking open-ended questions so a person becomes curious enough to swing his or her attention to a compelling purpose and vision.

Now that you have learnt the formula for change, consider where in your life you want to make a change. Which elements are abundant? Which elements are missing? Are you on the brink of overcoming RC (resistance to change)? How might your life now be different if you did?

To learn more about sustainable and transformational change, please visit www.Erickson.edu