If you don’t want things to change then all you need is management. If you want things to change though, you need leadership. Yet do you want the kind of leadership where things blow up? Certainly not. We want healthy change. For that, what is required is wise leadership that understands the change process and can lead it well.
Wise leaders who bring about healthy change understand what is needed, when it is needed and in what amount it is needed. They are good communicators and good leading a process through which people wrestle, participate and ultimately buy into the change process. That means that leaders also understand what people are going through and can “shepherd” them through what they are experiencing.
So what exactly do people “go through?”
First, change often begins with a de-stabilizing event. This is because virtually no change ever takes place when things are going well. Practically speaking change is considered or initiated after you can’t meet the budget, you have no money to repair the roof or the organ or you can’t pay the pastor. It happens after there is an exodus of people or some other thing happens that breaks people out of their “denial.” The de-stabilizing event wakes people up and brings them to admit that there is a problem.
Yet all people groups attempt to maintain equilibrium, predictability and stability. So if over time things shift or go bad, there will inevitably be a defense mechanism trying to keep things the same. For example, if a church is dying, people will deny it, get defensive, place blame and resist attempts to change. Yet true leadership will persist in love while being the “positive irritant.”
So it is tough to admit to a problem because admission of a problem or breaking out of denial produces what is called “survival anxiety.” If people are no longer in denial then they are dealing with some kind of “disequalibrium” which has messed up their “homeostasis” or what is commonly referred to as the “status quo.” It is called “survival anxiety” because they aren’t even sure if the church will survive!
This survival anxiety leads to another problem called “learning anxiety.” What this means is that people who have survival anxiety realize that what they have been doing is not working. The anxiety comes because they know they will have to “unlearn” something and then “learn” something else. Yet for many, the only thing they know is how they have done things “around here” up until now! They have little if any idea regarding what they need to unlearn, much less know what it is they need to learn. In reality what they need to learn is no doubt a pattern of thinking and behaving that is most likely foreign to what they are currently doing and most likely foreign to the culture of the organization. That is quite unsettling! Survival anxiety and learning anxiety indeed!
Imagine knowing you have to change but you have no idea what that means or where to start! This is where a lot of our churches are. Some members are in denial, but some are panic stricken because they know it’s not working around here. What on earth do we do? Then those inside the church often begin to experience conflict as they argue about what to do. And so the downward spiral picks up speed.
The last stage that few actually attain is called “psychological safety.” This is when a viable way forward is provided. It no doubt includes a compelling vision, formal training in what they need to learn, coaching with positive role models and support for people to make the healthy changes along the way. With these elements those who are experiencing all this anxiety see a way forward and how they can be a part of it. They can see themselves as participating and contributing and thus living into the future way of thinking and behaving. Even though it is new, learning anxiety is reduced and there is a sense of safety with this way forward.
What is required? Healthy change walking beside people who are going through these stages requires the loving and steady hand of wise leadership. God grant this by His grace.
If you would like to learn more about leading healthy change we are offering a seen session coaching package you can download a pdf file about it here: Coaching Package to Lead Healthy Change
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Scott Gress is called by Lutheran Counseling Services and partners with the FL-GA District of the Lutheran Church as an independent contractor. He specializes in Leadership Training, Consulting, Coaching and Coach Training. Contact Scott to continue the conversation or experience a free sample coaching session. 561-542-4472, scottgress@me.com or scottgress.com
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