Sue's Musings

OK – you want to make a change – big, little, it doesn’t matter. The risk and the challenge is the same – someone won’t like it, someone will complain, someone will love it and wonder why it’s taking so long, and you get the idea…

How do you help make a change, and do it in a way that a – people don’t get mad and leave, and b – it sticks? That’s where this book is helpful. Bridges talks about the three important stages of managing a change – helping people to let go, entering the ‘neutral zone,’ and launching a new beginning. Each step has to be attended to well in order for a change to really be a positive experience. (Some of you may be familiar with John Kotter’s 8 stages of change – that is basically an expansion of this 3-stage process.)

In addition to helping you navigate these three stages of change, Bridges also gives you a checklist to help you consider all the aspects of each particular stage of the journey. He also has a chapter on taking care of yourself, and one called “what to do with nonstop change,” something we are all becoming more and more familiar with.

This is a great book, practical, helpful, and thoughtful. I encourage you to take a look at it as you lead your congregations into the future.