What are your reactions when you think of the word “change”? In the comment box below, jot down 5-10 words or phrases that you think of when you hear the word “change”. Try to include positive and negative statements if possible.
Take a moment to reflect on what, from your perspective, makes the difference as to whether a person perceives a change as positive or negative?
During your reflection, did you notice that much of an individual’s response to change is a function of how much control or influence he or she feels they have over the change?
“Being locked in the trunk” or “Having a hand on the wheel”
Viewing a change as either negative or positive can be compared to taking a car trip. We could be seated next to the driver with a hand on the steering wheel or we can be totally cut off from the driver—locked in the trunk, blindfolded, with our mouths taped shut. Our location and hence our ability to participate in planning the trip would have a great effect on our perception of it as positive or negative. Suggest that it is likewise evident, from the comments offered by the participants, that our level of control or influence over a change plays an important part in how we view it.
Let’s examine how individual perception affects how individuals react to change. Go to Next Section
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