Every once in a great while I’ll teach a course on change management if a client insists they need one. Most of the time, the company that hires me is under pressure to stay viable and they want me to come in and perform some magic that will ease the pain. Usually by then it’s too late.

The term “change management” annoys me because it’s become a buzzword in my industry just as “leadership” and “empowerment” have. Managing change really means being proactive in your approach which begins by anticipating the need for it early on. If you don’t, it will sneak up and bite you like a deviant toddler. In my experience, there are three approaches to proactively ushering in change. Think of it like removing a Band-Aid.

Approach #1: Rip it Off.

This is a favorite of touch parents. Grab the corner and give it one big pull. It hurts like heck, but at least it’s over with quickly.

In organizations, this often happens when conditions dictate a quick change. In this case, it’s best to just go without a lot of warning so you’ll not upset the employees. The anxiety a change causes is probably less than the quick pull. Yes, there will be complaints, but at least it’s done.

On a personal level, this might mean going “cold turkey” when ending a bad habit. It may also mean tackling that task you’ve been dreading by just getting it done and over with. It might mean picking up that phone and having that conversation quickly that you’ve been dreading. Quick, painful, but at least quick.

Approach #2: Slowly Work It Off

This approach is how we usually remove our own Band-Aids. Grab a corner and slowly pull it a little at a time. Feel it rip the scab and you stop. Start again. Feel it pull the hair off your skin. Stop again. Repeat the process…..

In organizations, this happens when multiple stakeholders feel differently about changes. When you have disputes, factions, cliques, etc., then all the interested parties will start their part of the change on their own timetable and own method. It will hurt multiple times in multiple areas. It’s the worst way possible to do a change effort but since organizations often have trouble agreeing on how to do things, this is the most common approach. It’s painful before (with the anticipated pain), during of course, and then afterwards as the residual and collateral damage is assessed. Then of course, when there’s rumors of another impending change, the fear factor escalates.

On a personal level, this approach is often how people approach changes like getting healthy. They start with a radical diet and exercise plan (ripping the Band-Aid) but then quickly ease off everything and approach it disconnectedly. A diet, then another diet modification. Running, then when the knees hurt, a Spin class. Then when their butt hurts, they try weights. When their muscles ache, they do the Elliptical machine. Diet runs the same way. Trial and error. Crash and burn. When all is said and done, the process is so painful that they give up.

Approach #3: Soak It In Water

This is the best way to remove your Band-Aid and the Band-Aids of others. You soak the body part in warm water and let it loosen up. Then you simple ease the Band-Aid off the skin.

Organizations rarely use this method but in my experience it works the best. You begin by communicating what ideal conditions in an organization could look like. Get people excited about that vision. Let them see what they can expect and benefit from. Now show them the current reality. Let them see the need for the change. Next, you simply fill in the gap with what is necessary to move from the current to the ideal. Prepare, communicate, listen, plan, discuss, dialog, mediate, moderate. Help people prepare and implement. This works best when the change is important and you have some time to ease the organization into it.

Personal change goes the same way. Visualize perfection and contrast it with current reality. Figure out what would be needed to close that gap. Then you take one or two areas and put together a plan to get there. Small steps. Consistent steps. Ease your way into it

Change is never easy. Labeling it as “change management” just irritates and scares people. Manage yourself and pick the right methodology and you’ll survive that change just fine.

What will you look at changing this week? I’m busy looking at how I engage clients and what types of workshops that I’ve been doing and plan to stop doing. I’m soaking in the warm water right now, easing that Band-Aid off.