Change

profile
Example

November 13, 2013




Contents

CHANGE .............................................................................................................................................................. 5

PERSONAL CHANGE PROFILE ..................................................................................................................... 7

STABILITY .................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
TENSION AND MOVEMENT ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
TYPES OF CHANGE .................................................................................................................................................................... 8

CHANGE PROFILE EXERCISES .................................................................................................................. 11

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Change
The change profile reveals to what extent your current work and home environment suit you,
whether you experience any tension and if so, how much, and the measure of change that is
occurring in your life and how you experience that change.

A change process generally proceeds as visualized in the illustration below. The vertical axis
represents the degree of harmony with your life environment, with a lot of harmony at the top
and a lack of harmony at the bottom. The horizontal axis indicates your position in the change
process. It is important to realize that change processes often do not proceed in a linear fashion,
and that you can move forward as well as backward along the lines. This also makes it difficult to
predict the future course. (The colors used to indicate the fields bear no relationship to the
colors of the value systems).

Stability (the green-colored
field) shows the degree to
which your work and home
environment suit you. A high
Alpha score indicates that you
experience a lot of harmony
with your work and home
environment.
Changes within yourself or in
your environment initially give
rise to tension (the red field),
which is revealed by a higher
Beta score. This sometimes
concerns minor matters that
can be resolved fairly quickly,
to then see harmony restored
again. For example, your
current work conditions may
not suit you, but you are soon assigned other tasks within your department that are better
suited to you and you go back to stability in alpha.

If the tension cannot be reduced through small changes, then this suggests that there are larger
changes at stake. Such change can either be initiated by an internal shift, which may relate to a
shift in value systems, or by external shifts in our life conditions such as changes in the
organization we work in or dynamics within our relationship. We usually tend to shy away from
such changes, as it often implies having to take leave (to some extent) from our familiar
environment, but also because solutions are generally not yet visible at this stage or because our
new view on the world still has to develop further. As a result we experience a barrier, which
causes the tension to rise further (revealed by higher scores for both Beta and Gamma). The
tension may rise to such an extent that we can no longer ignore the change and solutions present
themselves, and at a certain point we overcome the barrier and allow the change to proceed
(Delta). Things then start moving, represented by the blue field, and the change takes shape in
your life. This could be a new job, a change in home environment, or an important change in
your personal relationship(s). As soon as the change has become integrated in your life, you will
again experience harmony with your work or home environment. This is reflected in a higher
New Alpha score, indicating a greater stability in your life.

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To the extent that it is easier for us to release the old situation, for example because our
emotional attachment to the situation is less or because we can already see clearly how the
change will take shape, the change process can also proceed via the alternative Flex route. Flex
represents turbulent changes to which you can give in more easily. That is why there is no
barrier to this pathway.

The biggest changes in our life often involve a transition between value systems. Since we
simply lack the vision to see where we will end up, this process is often shrouded in darkness. .
In that situation the transition means that we will start seeing not just our life but even our own
identity from, quite literally, another viewpoint, so that we will inevitably have to go through a
period of not-knowing. This feels as if the ground beneath our feet is swept away, which arouses
a strong emotional resistance. That is why this category of change almost always entails an
experience of hopelessness, anger, frustration and even despair (a high Gamma score).

To understand whether a person (or department or organization) is going through a change
process, and if so, where they are at, six change phases have been identified. By assessing
someone’s experience through certain questions, we obtain insight into this person’s current
situation. The six phases are summarized briefly below:

Change state: Answer options:
Stability: Alpha My current situation is stable and I’m happy with that
My life is harmonious
Uncertainty/chance of Not everything is going smoothly but I’m working hard to
change: Beta get everything back on track
Things are no longer going smoothly, something is
going/has to change
Stagnation: Gamma I feel completely stuck
My current situation seems hopeless
Turbulent change: Flex I take all necessary risks to realize the change that is
required
My life is tumultuous and exciting
Breakthrough: Delta I am hopeful, for I finally can see light at the end of the
tunnel
Former constraints fall away, so that barriers can be
overcome
New stability: New Alpha From this point on everything is going smoothly again
After a hectic period calm has returned, my life is back on
track

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Personal change profile

This chapter describes your personal change profile. The profile is presented using two graphs.
The complete profile with the change phases is given below:

The second graph displays the relationships between stability, tension and movement, indicating
if the tension is too high or the stability is too low:

Stability
First we analyze the stable stages (Alpha/New Alpha) with respect to the stages that represent
dynamism and change (Beta, Gamma, Flex and Delta). as seen in the "Distribution", chart above.

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Your profile contains a small proportion of stability and mainly tension and/or movement. This
means that your life is subject to a lot of change, or will be. There is currently some friction (or
there was, recently) between you and your current home and/or work environment. But there is
also some stability, which is important for the change to take shape.
In your profile, stability is largely found in Alpha, indicating that the stable situation has existed
for a longer period. In your answers you indicate that your current situation is stable and you're
happy with that. You have the feeling that your life is harmonious. This applies most to the
organization where you work and your home situation.

Tension and movement

The change energy is significant and distributed across all four phases.
The values for Beta and Gamma already have significance at low scores, as people tend to
avoid/deny these change stages, compared to other change stages. In your case the value of Beta
is not yet high but it is significant, and the yellow flag in Gamma indicates that this value is high.
Beta means that there is uncertainty and that things are not going so well. In your answers you
indicate that not everything is going smoothly and that you are working hard to get everything
back on track. You also indicate that things are not going so well at the moment and that
something has to change. This applies most to your personal situation (physical-emotional) and
your relational situation (family/partner).
Gamma means that there is some stagnation. In your answers you indicate that you feel
completely stuck. You also indicate that your current situation seems hopeless. This applies
most to society.
The combination of Beta and Gamma shows the accumulated tension, which has built up
between you and your home or work environment. In your situation the accumulated tension is
very high, which means that you are currently probably experiencing a lot of pressure and
stress.
Delta means that a breakthrough has recently occurred or something new has presented itself.
In your answers you indicate that you are hopeful, for you can finally see light at the end of the
tunnel. You have the feeling that former constraints have fallen away, so that barriers can be
overcome. This applies most to your current job.
Your profile also shows a score in Flex, meaning that you are able to move along with part of the
changes that are occurring. In your answers you indicate that you take all necessary risks to
realize the change that is required. You have the feeling that your life is tumultuous and exciting.
In sum, your life is undergoing a lot of change and you are experiencing this as tension but also
as dynamic. Part of this change is already taking shape but for another part it is not yet clear
how this change will take shape.

This table provides an overview of how you have assessed various situations in your life:

Types of change
We distinguish between two types of change. What we refer to as a first-order change concerns
an improvement of the current situation, in which the most important aspects of your life

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remain unchanged. A second-order change is one that results in an significantly new situation;
for example a change in work or home environment, a divorce, a shift to a radically new
approach to projects, or taking on a very different type of work. We asked you to indicate what
applies to you best, at the present time. You will find a graphic representation of your answers
below.

You have a preference for first-order change, that is an improvement of the current situation. In
your answers you indicate that if changes are necessary at all, these are minimal. You also think
that one or two things may change in your life, but the important things must remain unchanged.
You additionally say that changes are necessary but that these should take place step by step, so
that you can stay in control.

Aside from your preference for first-order change, you also experience a lot of tension. This
means that your environment/situation is asking for change, but that you prefer to leave things
as they are or that you feel that the required change is happening too quickly. Perhaps you don't
yet see if and how these changes can reduce the tension that you are experiencing.

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Change profile exercises

Here you will find a number of exercises, based on your personal change profile, with which you
can further analyze your change profile and your current situation with respect to changes in
your life.

Alpha indicates that you experience your life as stable.
o Which circumstances in your life do you experience as stable?
o What are you satisfied with, and what would you like to keep as it is now?

Beta indicates that things are no longer going so smoothly in your life.
o What tells you that the current situation is going to change, what is no longer going smoothly?
o How does the impending change make you feel?
o Would you prefer to return to the old situation, or to move ahead to an entirely new situation?
o To what extent do you deny or welcome the impending change?

Gamma indicates that you feel stuck and/or that your situation seems hopeless.
o What do you experience as difficult or hopeless, in your life?
o Do you have an emotional attachment to people, situations or matters which you must now let
go?
o Which emotions does this trigger?
o Who can you turn to, to get things off your chest?
o How can you create time and room for yourself?
o Who can you turn to for (professional) support?

Delta indicates that there is a lot of dynamism in your life.
o What have you managed to let go, what have you left behind you?
o What makes you enthusiastic, what inspires you?
o Which difficult decisions still need to be taken?
o What can you do to give shape to the changes that are occurring in your life and/or to
integrate these in your life?

You have a preference for changes within the current system and you also experience tension.
o What changes in your home or work environment could reduce the tension and improve your
life?
o Does your environment demand changes while you would prefer to let things continue as they
have been? For example, that the organization asks you to start doing other work while you
would rather not?

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