It’s easy to say the pace of change moves too fast for some, too slow for others, and rarely just right for anyone. In this case, it seems safe to say that it moved at the same pace and was not right for any of us. But we did it, which is a statement of triumph in itself. I like to think of change moving at a pace best described by Tushman and Romanelli (1985) in their model of punctuated equilibrium. All living organisms (and organizations) evolve through periods of equilibrium (no change) and sudden periods of punctuations (change). The longer the periods of equilibrium, the punctuated periods of change will be more dramatic. Optimally, organizations will have more regular periods of change with muted punctuation levels and smaller periods of equilibrium for rest and recovery. Similar to a high-performance athlete who trains their muscles through periods of intense workouts (punctuations) and periods of rest and recovery (equilibrium), an organization can become stronger by learning how to manage change. Needless to say, the move to remote operations was a heavy deadlift that required all of us to “move on the count of three!” And we did it.
The emotions of change are directly tied to the pace of change. If change occurs suddenly with little time to comprehend the reasons, implications, and significance of what’s happening, emotions can be confusing, intense, and mixed in ways that are difficult to manage. Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church in California, gave a great TEDx talk on remaining relevant. He said understanding and managing change is critical to stay relevant in the modern world. Recognizing the link between change and grief is critical in that when we think someone (including ourselves!) is resisting change, they may just be grieving that change. As he said, “There is no growth without change; no change without loss; no loss without pain; and no pain without grief.” We may not be resisting change, we may very well be grieving, and it’s important to acknowledge that possibility. With that in mind, I found a seven-stage model on the phases of change in Google images and overlaid that with the Kubler-Ross model of the five stages of grief. Many of the stages have the exact same description in both models.
With regard to working remotely, I’m proud to say I think we’re all doing it pretty well, and things are going relatively smoothly under really stressful constraints. However, I share all of this because I’m seeing a subtle shift in many Zoom meetings and emails over the past three weeks, and in my own feelings, as well. It seems we’ve moved through the shock and denial phases and are moving at varied paces into feelings of frustration, anger, and bargaining with the toll and grind of our collective circumstance.
The stories of our faculty and staff contacting students and providing them with inspiring levels of support, understanding, and flexibility continue to multiply by the day. This unprecedented crisis is pushing all of us to embody the notion of “every student, every day” in ways we perhaps never thought possible. We are living our core values of modeling the way, inspiring confidence, encouraging excellence, and truly embracing our community. For example, one student couldn’t bring herself to log in to her five classes because she was so overwhelmed with the thought of learning online. Her Student Support Advisor convinced her to give it a try, and the student found each and every one of her faculty members willing to provide her the flexibility and support to feel confident that she could do it. As a result, the student reported it wasn’t as bad as she thought and she’s committed to finishing her semester.
We have come to expect an endless well of patience, goodwill, and empathy from ourselves and our colleagues to move students through their academic journey — a tall order under the best circumstances. Right now, many of us are experiencing the same recurring cycles of stress, isolation, anxiety, and being overwhelmed as our students. I mentioned early on the need to support each other in all of this, but as we transition through these stages of change, and even grief for our loss of normalcy, it’s more important than ever to reach out, check in, and stay connected so we can find support and strength in one another.
If we acknowledge the pace and emotions associated with this stressful change in our personal and professional lives, we increase our understanding of what’s happening. We’ll then be better equipped to develop coping mechanisms to successfully navigate these unchartered waters that are anything but smooth. If we keep everyone in the boat, we’ll all make it to shore on the other side.
If you have any questions, comments, or insights, please contact me directly at presblog@mvcc.edu.
