The Thalia Group
The Thalia Model for Navigating Change
Change is a central force of life. It drives both growth and decay and effects both accomplishment and failure. While we find comfort
in the familiar, in reality our world is constantly shifting and requires taking steps into the unknown. In doing so we experience uncertainty
and often react with resistance.
Change occurs within and without. External change often feels imposed and can threaten or interfere with our sense of stability. Internal change can also result from the learning, growth, and adaptation gained through experience. When change occurs within, it shifts the way we relate to the world without. This too can have an unsettling effect.
Internal and external dynamics of change apply to individuals, organizations and communities. Navigation requires that you know where you are now, as well as where you want to go. Without this, movement is more akin to wandering or meandering.
The four progressive stages of the Thalia Model (TTM) are designed to equip individuals, organizations and groups with the tools to successfully navigate change. TTM tools are customized for each situation.
Stage I: Understand and Commit
Successful change navigation depends on genuine buy-in from all stakeholders. Ownership is necessary to understand the dynamics of the change and how they apply to the particular situation. The goal in Stage I of TTM is to increase understanding of change dynamics as well as the role of the unique and various experiences of individuals. This basic understanding provides both context and framework for decision-making and action. Services that support Stage I include:
Stage II: Develop and Adapt
With basic understanding and commitment in place, the goal of stage two is to develop and adapt tools and strategies for successfully navigating change. In this stage, stakeholders are engaged in strategic analysis, needs assessment, and other creative and adaptive processes to generate ideas, tools and resources that address changing needs and conditions. Services that support Stage II include:
Stage III: Initiate and sustain
The goal of Stage III is to apply the tools developed and adapted in stage two. Taking action in the midst of change requires new and unfamiliar ways of thinking and working. Managing change, therefore, requires ongoing efforts to monitor and adjust the impact. Through trial and error, positive and effective movement can be sustained. Services that support Stage III include:
Stage IV: Innovate and Redesign
Change is ongoing. Stage IV brings us full circle: taking stock of the ways in which internal and external factors continue to impact the situation. The monitoring and adjusting that occurred in Stage III may have revealed the need to re-evaluate and adjust course. Innovation and willingness to redesign are needed to respond effectively to these factors OR realities. Services that support Stage IV include:
“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. ”
‾ John F. Kennedy