Aftermath: Coping with and Implementing Urgent, Radical Change

December 2001

The tragic, horrifying and life-changing events of September 11 have affected us all—individually, organizationally, nationally, and globally. As part of her change management series, Dr. Laura Markos examines the change cycle and what leaders can do to help.

by Laura Markos, Ph.D.
Consulting in the Process of Change

The tragic, horrifying and life-changing events of September 11 have affected us all—individually, organizationally, nationally, and globally. Each of us is now challenged in every environment to cope with the changes implicit and forced on us as of that date. Many are also challenged to lead, invent, create, respond, and redirect in ways which will make the best of the post-event environment, to deal with a radically new world as quickly and effectively as possible. An event of such magnitude, scope, and impact brings the cycle of change into sharp relief.

That cycle, as examined in previous articles in this series, comprises:

• Disruption—new data, facts, participants or goals that alter the status quo
• Imaging—envisioning a new future encompassing the new elements
• Energy—effort directed toward or resistant of change
• Action—the result of positive or resistive energies
• Change—the new combination of elements resulting from the cycle
• Closure—the new state of being maintained until the cycle begins again

In the current context, the immediacy and hyperbole of each of these phases is at once obvious and overwhelming. While previous articles have described the various phases in the cycle of change, this article will examine the critical practicalities of change in the face of such extreme forces, with particular focus on both reactive responses and reasoned leadership for such times.

As most risk managers know, crisis is often the impetus for change. While crises present urgent challenges for managers and organizations, they also present the opportunity to implement change. Such change may be a radical departure from previous plans, and/or it may include change previously identified as needed, but perhaps not supported or considered timely by the organization.

Unlike times of stability, times of crisis demand change, to contain, prevent, preclude recurrence, and redirect accordingly. Optimizing this instantaneous, unchosen, and rapidly evolving opportunity, versus foundering in its wake, is the challenge of crisis-driven change.

Disruption: The Impetus for Change

In the perspective of September 11, the concept of disruption as the initiation of a new cycle of change is very real. The status quo has changed, radically, broadly, irreversibly, and for many, forever. The disruption is multi-faceted, and continues to occur, in phases, as the impact of the initial events plays out, subsequent events take place in a new context, and various institutions react and respond, creating further disruption leading to further change. This kaleidoscope of unfolding events shapes the ways in which subsequent change must be implemented. (See the article on disruption in this series.)

In this instance, an initially chaotic series of physical, political, economic, social, environmental, legal and operational disruptions ripples through organizations, their previous and future plans. The realities and realizations of actual events and imminent threats continue to cascade: terrorism, psychological trauma, fear; geopolitical realignment, ethnic and religious reappraisal, partisanship, fanaticism, nationalism, war; reactivity, rumors, vengefulness, vigilantism, restraint; ecological and biological threats; economic downturn, downsizing, market opportunities, recovery. And these are but some of the twists and turns that such radical aftermath involves in this instance.

While most organizations witnessed these events outside their organizations, such radical disruption rapidly reverberates inside organizations, particularly in terms of the psychological, operational, and economic impact. And initially, of course, the reactions are involuntary, unplanned, and diverse across individuals.

Yet, at each stage, with each development in this rapidly evolving situation, people look for leadership, for direction, for meaning, for answers. What's next? What will we do now? Will things ever be the same? Will we be okay? In such radical and chaotic circumstances, initially everyone is asking similar questions, searching for answers, looking for some stability amidst the chaos.

These questions are the inquiries which lead to the next phase, that of imaging a new future in light of radical, sudden change. It is incumbent on all leaders—in families, organizations, and nations—to respond to these inquiries in ways which will begin to stabilize, inspire confidence, and ultimately build a new future that incorporates these changes.

Imaging: The Vision of Change

Imaging is the process of envisioning a new future in light of the disruption that initiated the current cycle of change. Imaging begins as soon as people begin to think about that future, searching to understand what it will look like, and what role they will play in it. Imaging is also where leadership can enter the process and begin to shape that future.

Whether change is planned or occurs suddenly, leadership can have a huge impact on how change will take shape and how effectively individuals and organizations cope with it. A previous article in this series detailed the process and key aspects of imaging, across both planned and unplanned change. In the current environment, the comparison of the immediate past versus the present and future yields stark contrasts:

• Events implicate previous assumptions, preparations, intelligence, and processes as inadequate, at various levels, from individual to global.
• Events continue to rapidly unfold and shift, making longer-term fixes difficult; status quo continues to be a moving target.
• Economic structures, priorities, and forecasts have radically shifted, with both prolonged economic and overarching political and military/industrial impacts.
• Key issues of particular resonance for risk management, including insurance, security, travel, health, and safety, as well as property and business interruption from initial and potential future events, require immediate attention, near-term adaptation, and longer-term change.
• Psychological trauma severely affects organizational members, initially and with longer-term residual effects on individuals and organizational culture.

The nature of these contrasts determines the viability of various alternatives when imaging responsive change. With radical, unplanned, and urgent change, more clearly than in many change processes, certain aspects of change become particularly crucial in the process of imaging a new future:

• Previous assumptions, preparations, intelligence, and processes must be dismantled, reassessed, and restructured appropriately.
• The process of letting go of the old, and building a shared vision of the new, must necessarily take place over time, and with organization members' participation, input, and feedback, in order to succeed.
• Because events, and external responses to them, continue to unfold rapidly and shift radically, an organization's planning and implementation of its own responses must be at once assertive yet flexible—phased, adjustable, and adaptive to the dynamic, continuingly developing environment.
• Perhaps most strikingly, the psychological aspects of change are palpable, affecting the key catalyst of change and organization members' readiness for it.

Energy: The Catalyst of Change

As noted in an earlier article in this series, people's energy, both supportive and resistive, is the key catalyst in any change effort. Organization members' individual and collective reactions, attitudes, and roles are integral to an organization's readiness, capability for, and implementation of change. The psychological aspects of change impact people's energies for or against change. And, regardless of how widespread or all-encompassing change is, ultimately it is personal.

While recent events amplify such issues and personal needs—to the surprise, disdain, and occasional inadequacy of some managers—these psychological issues are always a key part of change initiatives. In the event of radical, urgent change, organizational members' reactions and needs—addressed with listening, understanding, compassion, support, and flexibility—demand sensitivity and diversity in approach and timing.

The strong feelings evoked by such cataclysmic events cannot be denied and must be worked through, each in his or her own time, and collectively as a newly evolved organizational culture. Thus, leaders must be sensitive to, aware of, and monitoring organization members' energies around change in order to understand them, and to begin to direct those energies, both resistive and supportive, toward the change that has and needs to occur.

In such challenging times, some organization members may welcome the introduction of new approaches, as evidence that someone is taking charge and has a vision of how to work through the current crises. Similarly, organization members may readily engage in designing and building a new future, as a positive activity and a way to cope with events on a level at which they can indeed make a difference, and feel once again some sense of control.

However, others may be stuck, in shock, paralyzed, or otherwise resistive—not so much of any particular plan for change, but of moving forward at all. As with any resistance, embracing it is key to empowering such energies and engaging them in a direction supportive of change. In this instance, engaging resistive members' energies may take professional assistance, and, depending on the severity of reactions, some may not care to or be able to re-engage.

Yet, for many, as with most resistance, the process of talking, building a shared understanding of what has and must change, facilitates the grieving that is necessary to let go of the past and work together toward building a new future. Indeed, in this instance, as in other collaborative change efforts, many organizations have found that working through such events and changes has built closer alliances, introduced greater humanity, and strengthened individual and organizational resolve to succeed and flourish in the post-crisis environment.

Action: The Operationalization of Change

Cumulative energy leads to action. If properly addressed, resistance can be embraced and transformed toward positive action and the desired image of planned change. But in instances of such radical and urgent change, as noted above, external events and responses to them continue to unfold on all levels. Implementing change in such an environment demands nimble flexibility and a readiness to reenter the process and cycle of change continuously.

Such an environment multiplies the unknowns and uncertainties of future environments, while heightening awareness of interdependencies and vulnerabilities. In such an atmosphere of increased risk, strategies and actions that work to minimize, reduce, or hedge risk may indeed be more attractive than bolder, longer-term, and/or unilateral approaches. The instincts and experiences of risk managers can be of particular value and insight in such scenarios.

In addition to these strategic differences, the operational issues in implementing change in such an environment are also distinct. More focus on feedback loops and early warning systems is advisable in such cases. Smaller steps, small-scale pilots, multiple approaches, and more participative input are all means of making forward-looking and even diverse changes, while being attentive to how such actions are progressing, and the development and impact of external environments as well.

Consistent with this, while planned change relies on systemization for its ultimate success and effectiveness, flexibility, with particular focus on feedback, is more critical in times of turbulence and external uncertainty. This requires a higher tolerance of ambiguity by organizational leaders and members, while attempting to service a lower tolerance for risk in a high-risk atmosphere. Pursuit of multiple paths, with lower commitment to each and/or shorter-term reviews of performance and environment, may provide a more palatable combination of action and conservatism in such volatile times.

Each of these approaches serves to shorten and truly highlight the cycle of change itself. Organizations facing such kaleidoscopic challenges are well served to revisit—early and often—recent disruptions, imaging, stakeholder energies, and actions, as well as the feedback loop. Shorter cycles virtually eliminate the final phase of closure, acting instead on the realization that status quo is an illusive state in turbulent times.

By shortening and heightening focus on the cycle of change, leaders and organization members work to maintain heightened attention on the environment, the reverberation and development of newly evolving external factors, and the support and resistance of system members. This enables system members to move forward together with short- and mid-term actions that make sense even in uncertain and rapidly evolving times.

Opinions expressed in Expert Commentary articles are those of the author and are not necessarily held by the author’s employer or IRMI. This article does not purport to provide legal, accounting, or other professional advice or opinion. If such advice is needed, consult with your attorney, accountant, or other qualified adviser.