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Change projects are complex and bring with them many challenges. One of the key elements that is often overlooked is emotions. At a roundtable in the CyberForum, Julia Schleidt explored the facets of emotions in the context of change projects and found that the participants had a wide range of associations with the topic of change – from fear and joy, to leaving the comfort zone, to seizing opportunities. Change is part of human nature, especially in the BANI (fragility, fear, non-linear, incomprehensible) context we currently find ourselves in. Emotions play a crucial role and also influence people’s daily decisions as well as the performance of teams and the implementation of projects.
What are emotions?
Emotions are brief, bio-psycho-social reactions to specific events that affect our well-being and usually require immediate action. These feelings are the sensations of the body. Emotions are neither positive nor negative, they are pleasant or unpleasant.
Various parts of the brain are involved in the development of emotions, including:
Thalamus: Transmits sensory information from the senses to other parts of the brain.
Amygdala: Processes emotional information and plays a role in the “fight or flight” response to threats.
Präfrontaler Cortex: Regulates emotions and supports decision making.
There are five emotions that are present in all cultures, these are:
Angst: A natural reaction to potential danger.
Aggravation: Occurs when frustrated or threatened.
Grief: An emotional response to loss or separation.
Shame: A feeling of inadequacy or guilt.
Confusion: When we feel insecure or disoriented.
How can you regulate emotions?
Regulating emotions is an individual task for which there are various methods. Julia Schleidt referred to the method of bifocal mindfulness, in which the person focuses their attention on two stimuli or activities (internal or external) at the same time. For example, she may think about a stressful situation while counting backwards or using a breathing technique. According to current research, bifocal attention is considered the main way to regulate emotions.
The model of 5 impact factors, which was developed for the training of emotion coaches and is successfully used in change management, includes the following aspects:
Transformative Allianz: The relationship between coach and coachee accounts for 30 – 70% of coaching success. With this method you learn to build a stable and transformative alliance between the coach and his coachee and thus contribute to the success of the coaching process.
Relational-motivational clarification: An intuitive approach to coaching is no longer appropriate, especially when we know exactly what contributes to the success of coaching. It is important to know how to holistically understand and structure the coachee’s problem, when to use which intervention and what effect it has.
Activation of resources: The success of emotion coaching depends primarily on how well the coach succeeds in activating the resources brought by the coachee for the coaching goals. The emotion coach always works to strengthen resources and specifically activates the coachee’s resources in various ways.
CORE – activation: If coaching only remains on the cognitive and factual level, the change process only moves on the surface. For a lasting, deep effect of coaching, emotional activation, regulation and strengthening of resources are required.
Emotionsregulation: After the core emotional topic has been identified and the associated emotions have been activated, we come to the core of emotion coaching: emotion regulation. You learn the proven most effective methods and the underlying principle of action to resolve emotional blockages.
Emotional blockages are obstacles or restrictions in a person’s emotional experience that hinder the free flow and regulation of emotions. These blockages can have various causes, for example traumatic experiences, unresolved conflicts, negative beliefs or unconscious fears.
Emotionally intelligent change projects
Such projects aim to promote and use the emotional intelligence of employees and managers to make change processes more effective. Features include promoting emotional intelligence, building emotional resilience, improving leadership through emotional intelligence, promoting communication and collaboration, and involving employees in the change process.
By considering emotional intelligence as an integral part of change management, organizations can more effectively manage the emotional challenges of change and improve acceptance and implementation of change.
The content of this knowledge bit comes from a keynote speech as part of the RoundTable “Emotions – The reason why change projects fail” by Julia Schleidt, industrial engineer and emotions and business coach. This event was funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) Plus and is co-financed by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism.