At the team level, you might be dealing with fear of change, but you will also be dealing with another fear that results from the fallout of change - what happens to our established roles and job descriptions?
- Loss of significance is a fear that shows up in the team room and the board room. It happens at all levels.
- The underlying fear is not just that we might lose our jobs, but our status among the tribe.
- We are afraid to feel ‘less than enough’ - not smart enough, not important enough - and in addition to feeling unimportant, we will actually feel like we don’t matter
- Biologically, our need to create an indelible imprint is extremely strong. It drives our careers, innovation, creation and service to others
- For many, it feels unnatural to not have a purpose - and this can become more pronounced as age and rank increases
- It shows up as ‘bruised ego’ and results in stonewalling, sabotage, self-exclusion from the tribe, and antisocial behaviour
- To manage it, you have to connect to universal and individual senses of contribution and significance, and give people opportunities to connect them to the new world
- Universal sources of significance - helping others, healing, creating or building, communicating, teaching, nurturing
- Personal sources of significance are based on these, but more specific to an individual and their interests