The Hazardous Bi-Products of Change

Written by: Naomi Middleton

Most people aren’t afraid of change itself.
they are afraid of the byproducts of change.

Change is a necessary and unavoidable part of life. As leaders, we know that change is often a necessary catalyst for redemptive work in our lives, ministries, and businesses. Change causes us to become more effective and better at what we do. Change brings new and interesting solutions to problems. It causes us to grow and adapt. Even though change is good, people are often very opposed to change. They hear the word change and they immediately start complaining.

When you really stop and listen to people’s issues with change, most people really aren’t afraid of change itself. Rather, they are afraid of the byproducts of change. They are afraid of all the negative things that often come with change. As leaders, if we are aware of these hazardous byproducts of change, change might still be hard, but it will be a whole lot easier. Here are some of the hazardous byproducts of change and some suggestions on how to avoid them.

The Byproduct of Anxiety

The byproduct of anxiety surfaces when we make changes without a communicated framework or predictable pattern. Everyone needs some level of predictability. It’s just the way life works. We are reminded of this every time we get a new car. The first time we get into a new car, we must relearn where everything is. However, within a few days, we don’t even think about where our blinker switch is or how to turn the air on. People respond to changes in much the same way. If changes are made in a semi-predictable pattern, people are usually less anxious out by them. Even if they don’t like the change, they at least know what to expect and how the decision was reached. As leaders, we can avoid the byproduct of unnecessary anxiety by making sure we have a clear process for making changes and people understand the process.

The Byproduct of Apathy

This byproduct of apathy surfaces when we make changes too often. When we change things too frequently people start to stop noticing or even caring. When a change is necessary and done in a timely way, people notice and get excited. It’s like repainting a wall too many times. People will probably notice the first time (especially if the wall needed a refresh) However, if the wall is repainted five times within the same year, people will stop caring or even noticing. The same is true in any area of life. If a change is needed, the change will usually be appreciated and accepted. However, if we are constantly changing things with no clear purpose, people will start to show apathy towards the changes. They will stop caring.

The Byproduct of Confusion

The byproduct of confusion rises when we communicate changes too early. It is like taking a cake out of the oven too early. The recipe was right, but the cake doesn’t taste good. When changes get communicated too early it can cause a lot of unnecessary confusion because the conditions are often not ready. There are logistical factors that were not figured out. There were people that needed to be consulted. And the list goes on. When we fall into the pitfall of communicating change too early, we run the risk of causing unnecessary confusion. It’s easy to get excited about an idea… but wait until the time is right to communicate the idea.

The Byproduct of Frustration

The byproduct of frustration grows when the right people aren’t included in the decision-making process. This does not mean that everyone should get a voice in the decision-making process. This means the RIGHT people need to be a part of the decision-making process for change. When we make changes, it is easy to see how the changes affect our area or the things we care about. However, we sometimes fail to see how the change might affect someone else. We can avoid a lot of unnecessary frustration by taking the time to make sure the RIGHT people are being included in the decision-making process when changes are made.