fear and change

[Keith, Jaymee]

I believe individuals (and organizations) change for three reasons:

1.  It is too painful to continue the status quo
2.  Boredom
3.  We recognize that change is actually possible -- for ourselves and
for our organizations.

Consequently, so long as it's bearable for us to remain the same, we
feel no compulsion to change.  We are comfortable with "business as
usual" -- what we know.  However, we are human and curious and at least
we in the U.S. (check out What Americans Are Made Of) are always on the
lookout for "new and improved."  We toy with new ideas and methods until
it dawns on us that we can actually change what we do and how we think
and react.  Then we build our coalitions and start fostering an
environment which will support our preferred futures.

Just my $.02 worth.
Jaymee Keith
Ombudsman's Office
Washington State Dept. of Transportation
705-7438



>----------
>From:  PKaipa at aol.com[SMTP:PKaipa at aol.com]
>Sent:  Tuesday, December 22, 1998 9:29 AM
>To:    OSLIST at listserv.idbsu.edu
>Subject:       Re: fear and change
>
>What I understood about human nature and human learning is that we change
>only
>under two conditions: desperation and aspiration. Desperation to keep our
>identities as we know them alive, allows for transformation of those exact
>identities. We know of many stories in which people who had near death
>experiences are transformed for ever. There is a certain lightness and
>freedom
>that they may experience that is certainly not common among others. It is not
>that desperation is gone away and now their life is full of light. It is just
>that they began to experience certain non-attachment and let go that gives
>them freedom to experience themselves and the world more fully.
>On the other hand underlying fears, instincts and survival based issues never
>go away. If one does not accept and embrace oneself with warts and all
>(embracing ones shadow or darkness if you might) the old identity raises its
>head more prominently now and actually invalidates the whole transformation
>experience. People feel more negative and more upset about what led to
>transformation. In other words, the seperation and loneliness is enhanced and
>fears dominate.
>
>Aspiration, on the other hand, creates 'a gap' in our perception of our own
>identity vs. feedback from others on our identity. Because that feedback is
>appreciative we feel like we are larger for others. When we begin to become
>comfortable with that 'larger' identity and live into it, the transformation
>has sneaked in, in a subtle way and has a chance to change the identity for
>ever. Because it is associated with joy and positive emotions, we also invite
>such change consciously and work to repeat those 'positive behavioral
>patterns.'
>
>That is why appreciative inquiry and Open space are such a great combination.
>Both support and build on each other and with a support structure like this
>mail list, we do create an appreciative field for people to be themselves and
>open to learn from each other.
>
>You might ask what do we do rest of the time when we are neither desperate or
>aspring-- we live on auto-pilot. We just keep doing the same things
>mindlessly
>expecting different results.
>
>enough said
>Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and Happy New year
>Prasad
>------
>In a message dated 12/22/98 9:32:14 AM, you wrote:
>
><<Birgitt Bolton wrote:
>
>>
>
>> And I don't try to convince. When an
>
>> individual or organization is ready for transformation, or has transformed
>
>> and is waiting for itself to catch up with itself, he/she/it will know and
>
>> be ready
>
>
>
>Yes! Very well described. As the shrinks say, the client has got
>
>to want to get better.
>
>
>
>> As in the life of the individual, so in the life of the organization--we
>
>> often struggle against our transformation not so much because we are
>
>afraid
>
>> of failure as that we are so afraid of our success, success beyond our
>
>> wildest expectations. We are afraid of our light as individuals. We are
>
>> afraid of the success that we can be as organizations.
>
>
>
>I think it is important to explain why the thought of success can
>
>be frightening. Does everyone know this?
>
>
>
>I see think the thought of success can be frightening to people
>
>because it throws light on all the small thinking that went before -
>
>the excuses, conceits, complaining, and general stick-in-the-mud
>
>behavior that produces failure.  The horror is in realising that one
>
>has been responsible for all that misery, and that the solutions were
>
>so simple, and were sitting in plain view all along.
>
>
>
>What do you think?
>
>
>
>Also, success is not a "state" so much as a continuing process of
>
>growth and expression.
>
>
>
>:o)
>
>Rhodes Hileman
>
>mailto:rhodes at smsys.com      land: 206-328-8364
>
>http://www.smsys.com/        cell: 206-595-9174
>
>
>
>We must always seek to ally ourselves with
>
>that part of the enemy that knows what is right.
>
>                                M.K.Gandhi
>
>
>
>Hi Rhodes,
>
>I think success is a process too. And I think the deepest inner core of
>
>people is beautiful. Why we put all the baggage in the way so that others
>
>can't see our beauty is part of the human journey. The unpacking to the
>
>treasure is wonderous when it happens. I've watched many people through the
>
>journey of this phase. And am in tears every time. Quite why fear is such a
>
>big phenomenon, I don't know. I do know that it is. And fear of success---is
>
>this because of our conditioning by our families, our institutions, our
>
>religious institutions over the last millenium. I think so. A state of our
>
>collective consciousness. When individuals awaken out of that state one by
>
>one, it is magical. I believe that now is a time of organizations waking out
>
>of that state so that more and more people have the chance of moving into a
>
>different collective consciousness. One that is inspired. Open Space is
>
>certainly a means of enabling this awakening to our success, to overcoming
>
>the deep inbred fear that collectively we have bought into.
>
>
>
>Anyhow, those are my thoughts on the subject.
>
>
>
>Warmest regards,
>
>Birgitt>>
>