By Fitzgerald Clark, DYS Director of People -Centered Practices

Managing the Loss in Change.

“Change inevitably involves loss.”

-      Restoring Sanctuary

Change is inevitable. Unfortunately, preparing effectively for change and working through change after it occurs are not, though they should be.

At DYS we are very familiar with change nevertheless, we still at times understandably struggle with it. Sometimes change comes at us suddenly with no ability to prepare and we rise to meet the challenge as best we can. Most often though there is an opportunity to prepare our staff and colleagues for that change, to make its implementation the most effective it can be.

The bigger the change, the stronger the feelings of loss that may be associated with it. We can also have resentment when the change is about something that has been around for a long time or that people feel a strong attachment to.

In these situations, it is always best to ease people into the change. Talk about it before implementation. Ideally, staff should be given the opportunity to participate in discussions about creating the change so they feel ownership of it. This is a best practice. If they have been part of the process that decides upon the change then they will be better equipped to implement and champion the change.

Easing people into change helps diminish the anxiety that comes with sudden change. When people know that change is coming, even if they are not a fan of it, they can prepare the practical necessities for the change more effectively, but as importantly, get prepared psychologically for that change.

So whenever possible, give folks a heads up that a change is on the horizon. Discuss with them what it would look like and allow opportunity for them to reflect on how it will impact them and the youth that you serve. If the change will impact the youth and families, consider whether they also need to be given the information ahead of time as well to prepare.

After we implement change, especially when it is sudden, people can sometimes feel the loss associated with that change very strongly. They may feel frustration, confusion or even resentment. Create a space to talk, either in a one or one or group setting. Utilize the S.E.L.F. tools for your team or as an individual to work through those feelings.

It is important as a leader to acknowledge the loss and change. People’s feelings are valid. We can utilize our S.E.L.F tools to move the focus from reflecting on our loss onto how we can adapt to the change, in order to make our future the best that it can be.