Readiness to Change!
As I mentioned in a previous post, I read a number of helpful books as I studied for my BCC exam. #ChangingToThrive focuses on the Transtheoretical Modal (TTM or Prochaska’s Model), which is often used to describe overcoming addiction. The book provides examples for adopting healthy behaviors such as healthy eating, exercising, quitting smoking, reducing drinking, and reducing stress.
In the model, people move through a series of stages as they decide to, make, and maintain changes in their lives. Readiness to change can be applied to our professional lives too, for example during decision-making and other meetings. It's interesting to think about what stages colleagues and stakeholders are in as you pitch new projects.
The stages of change are as follows (start at the bottom)
⭐ Termination - no longer tempted - some people prefer to say they are in recovery
⭐ Maintenance - more than 6 months of doing the new thing - watch out for stressful situations
⭐ Action - less than 6 months of doing the new thing - be aware of demands on you
⭐ Preparation - getting ready to start a new thing in the next month - watch out for the dread of failure
⭐ Contemplation - making a change in the next 6 months - be aware of doubt and delay
⭐ Precontemplation - not ready to start in the next 6 months - watch out for the 3 Ds - don’t know, feeling demoralized, and being defensive
The Principles of Progress can help people increase their pros and decrease their cons about starting something new.
Increase pros
Increase consciousness
Pay attention to feelings
Decrease cons
Environmental evaluation
Self-reevaluation
Make a commitment
Cognitive counters
Self-reinforcement
Helping relationships
Social liberation
Stimulus control
