Change only has the required quality if it was developed and adapted to the situation by the employees / customers / etc. themselves. You can achieve lasting and positive change only if you consider the requirements of your employees and clients in the process.

We must stop trying to “sell” something. Instead, we need to start to influence and support the decision-making processes in our partner’s head to achieve mutual benefit.

Change always means waving goodbye at old habits. Feelings of loss and insecurity are natural signs that the journey is evolving.

Most changes require passing through a "valley of tears" characterized by frustration and doubts. Neglecting this fact and not planning for it is one of the essential causes of blocked development.

Human beings usually act opportunistically. They prefer the path they believe will lead to the least amount of insecurity, change and unexpected events. Employees will always - more or less unconsciously - ask themselves: “what will bring me more problems?”

• to change and adapt my way of working, even though I cannot see the final result yet
  and do not know how it will impact my sense of security, or
• to risk the consequences if ‚I keep going as always

Typically, the question can be answered very easily, because there are no consequences to fear if a person stays within their comfort zone.

As a leader you have the unpleasant task to change this situation. By doing so, you will not earn popularity but "only" the respect that will enable you to implement change.

The process of change requires us to abandon well-known and comfortable procedures, tasks and behaviors.

This loss leads to feelings of perceived insecurity, and usually has a negative impact on motivation, creative energy, and the process of achieving improvement.

Only by accepting this phase as a natural consequence of change and by facing the challenge, can you can pass through this valley of tears quickly. In fundamental change, this process usually takes about one year, but can be reduced significantly, by

• adapting the learning process to every person involved
• setting clear expectations and requirements plus communicating that each person must support an ongoing process
• providing a neutral, external person to support the process of change and learning.