Why Change a Habit of a Lifetime?

Our Response to Change is Neurological

I've worked in many organisations that have been undergoing change and have often wondered what's going on inside of us that makes change seem so daunting.   Well, now I know!
I've been reading a superb book by David Rock "Your Brain At Work" and he explains in easy to understand language that the brain is quite simply a prediction machine.

Certainty creates predictability and this predictability is one of the fundamental pillars to our human intelligence.  I always knew that uncertainty was probably one of the key reasons why change can create a strong response and it seems it's because of our need for predictability.  After all, if our brain functions by comparing what's happened to patterns stored in our memories,  we can make sense of our world.

Making Sense Of Change

We use all of our senses to interpret and understand what's going on around us.   We use what we've heard and seen to predict what might come next.  In his book, Rock refers to an email that you've probably seen - the one where only the first and last letter of each word is correct.  And yet, we can still read the email.  The brain puts in the missing text based on what we've seen and heard in the past.   Our ability to create patterns and predict what will happen next explains why certainty is so important.   We derive comfort from being certain about what we can predict.

It's no wonder people become disorientated when organisations announce changes and yet can't be specific about what the changes might mean.  In one fell swoop they've taken away both predicatability and certainty - a very uncomfortable place to be in.

Why Do People Get Upset When Things Change?   

Again , at an intuitive level you can see why this might be the case.  After all, if you're not feeling very comfortable then you're going to be a bit upset.   There is a neurological reason for this as well.   If we imagine that certainty is like a sugar rush for the brain - it has a craving for certainty to make it feel comfortable.   Without the 'certainty rush' the limbic region of the brain gets stimulated.

In simple terms the limbic system contains all the areas of the brain that are  responsible for our emotions; how we feel about things, and how we decide what is positive, to move towards and what is negative, to stay away from.  

By over stimulating the limbic system, fear, feelings of insecurity, loss, sadness and sometimes panic click into action before we've had chance to really understand what that's about.

Is Uncertainty Always Negative?

Rock explains that even mild uncertainty can stimulate the amygdala - part of the limbic system.  In an organisational setting, mild uncertainty might translate as what will happen if you don't achieve your objectives e.g. you won't get that promotion you've been working hard for. 

As humans we do need some uncertainty to motviate us into action - the trick is to practise listening to what's happening inside and developing strategies for harnessing that mild uncertainty.  After all, it usually  holds a message for us to take action.  

As a coach, some of the techniques I use with clients are reframing and identifiying choices.  That way you are more likely to recapture a sense of control and so create a degree of predictability back into the proceedings.

How Can We Better Cope With Change?

There are two types of change and for ease we'll call them - transitional and transformational.   Just reading those names which one creates a greater feeling of uncertainty?  I am guessing it's going to be transformational.   Am I right?

Transformational change is therefore going to create more challenges - a heady mix of unpredictability and loss of control.  Getting clear what will stay the same i.e. be predictable, is probably one of the key elements of helping people come to terms with this type of change.   And also being clear about what is uncertain and create some element of reframing and choice around that uncertainty.  

Transitional change is all about finding ways of working new habits into existing habits or looking at existing habits in a different way, reframing them and creating choices.

So if you're looking to make any changes bear in mind that the neurological make up of your brain will be a key player in the success of that change.   Helping it find ways of achieving predictability will serve you well in changing a habit of a lifetime!