>There is a model of change management that characterizes people according
>to their love of and aversion to risk. Alternatively, it might use the
>concept of willingness or resistance to embrace change. I saw it several
>years ago and I'm wondering if anyone out there can help me find it again.
>
>What I remember about it is a bell curve with the X-axis showing degree of
>resistance to change, and the y-axis showing relative number of people.
>On the left tail of the curve are the Pioneers, people who like to get out
>ahead of things and be where the change is happening.
[snip]
This sounds a lot like the Hershey-Blanchard model to me. HB is a
version of the old Ohio State leadership ideas, and was central to a
management game that Hershey and Blanchard published some years ago,
before THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER. Briefly, their version had four quadrants
numbered counter=clockwise from the lower right; dimensions were
"Consideration" or empathy or social on the vertical axis, and "Structure"
or order or control on the horizontal. The notion was that a new
organization or new employees needed order and direction - the kindest
thing you could do was tell 'em what to do. The next quadrant gave them
praise and warmth for performance (AFTER they had performed, so they would
feel they had "earned" it); #3 cut back on structure, because as the work
group evolved, they knew their jobs and needed less direction but still
welcomed nice relations with a supervisor; #4 backed off on consideration
as well: the team was considered self-sufficient, so the supervisor should
get out of the way.
While what you speak of is resistance to change, HB's notion of
dynamic work group needs (more or less direction; more or less emotional
support) may be germane as well, since most adults can embrace or even
enjoy some change at some time, but find "too much change" or change at
the wrong time far less comfortable.
Hope this helps.
Sam
MXJELI@MAIL.WM.EDU
Mariann Jelinek
Richard C. Kraemer Professor of Business
Graduate School of Business,
College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Tel. (804) 221-2882 FAX: (804) 229-6135