This document appears to be a presentation on change resilience given by Kevin Thomas, the Learning & Development Manager at Williams College. The presentation covers models of change, how the brain responds to change, strategies for managing change, and concludes with an action planning section. It discusses transitions through endings, neutral zones, and new beginnings. It also outlines how different parts of the brain can view change as a threat, cause disorientation, make new behaviors difficult, and trigger a fear of failure. The presentation provides strategies for cultivating safety, reorienting, building new habits, and developing a learning mindset.

1. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
August 21, 2019
krt4@williams.edu
x3542
Kevin Thomas
Learning & Development Manager
Change Resiliency
Please put
yourself on mute
unless you’re
speaking

2. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
1. Models of Change
2. Your Brain on Change
3. Strategies
4. Action Planning
Agenda

3. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
1. Models of Change
2. Your Brain on Change
3. Strategies
4. Action Planning
Agenda

4. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

5. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

6. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• Endings
– Identifying what is lost
– Dealing with grief, anger, and fear
– … and what is not
• Neutral Zone
– Period of flux and disorientation
– Seeds of the new reality are planted
• New Beginnings
– Reorientation and renewal
– New roles
– Fresh identity

7. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
High effort,
short time
High effort,
long time
Low
effort,
short time
Low
effort,
long time
Disruption
Acclimation

8. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
Embrace the
opportunity
Walker
Celebrate
the win
Runner
Resist
Resister
Endure
Trudger
Desire
Choice

9. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
Conservers
Pragmatists
Originators

10. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
1. Models of Change
2. Your Brain on Change
3. Strategies
4. Action Planning
Agenda

11. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

12. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

13. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• Amygdala scans environment for things it doesn’t
recognize
• It asks: is this a threat?
• Hair trigger
• Fight/flight/freeze
• Sudden, strong emotions of anger or fear
• Bottom line: Change = Danger

14. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

15. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• A GPS system
• Creates mental maps of physical space
• … and social networks
• Function: Keep us oriented
• Bottom line: change = disorientation

16. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

17. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• Translates repeated behaviors into habits & routines
• Habit = Cue + routine + reward
• We gravitate towards tasks that require less energy
• Bottom line: Learning new behaviors is hard

18. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

19. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• Tells us when we are “getting warmer” and “getting
cooler” to success
• Helps us avoid failure and steer towards sure wins
• Change includes risk, including the risk of failure
• Bottom line: Change triggers fear of failure

20. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• Amygdala: “I’m freaking
out!”
• Entorhinal cortex: “I’m
lost!”
• Basal ganglia: “I don’t
know what to do!”
• Habenula: “I can’t mess
up!”
• Cultivate Safety
• Reorient
• Build new habits
• Cultivate a learning
mindset
PathObstacle

21. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
1. Models of Change
2. Your Brain on Change
3. Strategies
4. Action Planning
Agenda

22. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• Personal Safety Guarantee
• Going to the Balcony
• Soothing, familiar routines
• Develop Empathy – for yourself and others

23. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• Creating new mental maps takes time … and energy
• Identify trusted sources of information; avoid the
media smorgasbord
• Create a social atom

24. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

25. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
• New habits (both bad and
good) form more easily in
times of change
• Structure of habits:
– Cue
– Action
– Reward
• Use action triggers

26. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

27. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
1. Models of Change
2. Your Brain on Change
3. Strategies
4. Action Planning
Agenda

28. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542

29. Kevin R.Thomas, Manager, Learning & Development · Office of Human Resources · kevin.r.thomas@williams.edu · 413-597-3542
Kevin Thomas, krt4@williams.edu , x3542
Change Resilience
• Program evaluation form
• Program materials