One of the mistakes we in management can make is to make assumptions that once we get changes going, that the employees will believe that it is going to happen and will get on board. This is, at best, an illusion. 
The first thing that we as owners or managers must do is to make sure that we have bought into the change that is happening. I have seen many times over the years the managers themselves, through their true lack of interest, undermine that which they are giving lip-service to.
Robert Bacal a noted author, keynote speaker, and management consultant gives several things to keep in mind concerning managing in these times.
Stage I: Denial
An early strategy that people use to cope with change is to deny that it is happening, or to deny that it will continue or last.
Stage II: Anger & Resistance
When people can no longer deny that something is or has happened, they tend to move into a state of anger, accompanied by covert and/or over resistance.
Stage III: Exploration & Acceptance
This is the stage where people begin to get over the hump. They have stopped denying, and while they may be somewhat angry, the anger has moved out of the spotlight.
Stage IV: Commitment
This is the payoff stage, where people commit to the change, and are willing to work towards making it succeed. They know it is a reality, and at this point people have adapted sufficiently to make it work.
Remember This:
The transformation process takes an extensive amount of time to become stable and to work. Don't make the mistake of assuming it will "work itself out" and don't react excessively when faced with acceptable resistance.
Where you really need to be concerned is if there is no resistance at all. If you know that the transformation is significant then it means that your employees are hiding there true feelings about it. This can be one of the most dangerous challenges you could have as a manager, for if it goes on it will eat away at, and possible destroy your business or division.
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Gary, I think this is great advice for anyone with a job where change happens a lot. It's especially appropriate for Web workers like us! Managers at fast-changing companies would do well to learn these stages of reaction to change and maybe even to teach them to their employees.
Posted by: Easton Ellsworth | January 13, 2006 7:54 AM | Permalink to Comment