As easy as the word may sound, “TO CHANGE” can be really challenging for most of us. “Changing” means to get out of your comfort zone, to break that illusion of a fence that is always keeping you in the same place and under the same state.
What most of us do not know is that “Changing” is a natural process that happens almost everyday in our lives. It varies between relatively small to bigger more challenging changes like career shifts or collective changes in companies or countries. Even these types of changes have very variable importance and, if I may say “difficulty degrees” that depend largely on your own personal perspective of the situation.
Whether it is a personal change or a collectively initiated one, they both go through the same way down the road of evolution. So how does “Change” happen? Here is the “Process of Change” as illustrated by family therapist and psychologist Virginia Satir.
1. The Status Quo!
In Latin, the word Status Quo means “The existing state of affairs, esp. regarding social or political issues”. It is that state you are used to. The one you adapt your whole life to. It is not necessarily satisfying or happy for you..but it is largely dependent on what you are “used to” live your life. Sometimes, the Status Quo can be accompanied with very negative feelings such as anger or unexplained sadness.
However, as bad as it may sound, they generate a certain comfort. In that situation the negative feelings are alarms that things are not going well. Listening to these alarms generate the first step in the process: thinking about the status quo.
The question is do we ever get to change this “Status Quo”? Well, YES!
In Egypt, we have experienced this situation many times. The Status Quo was first the Mubarak era with its circumstances, challenges, good sides, bad sides, on all aspects from economical to social. We went through the whole process (that you will read here) arriving to a new Status Quo when SCAF were ruling. The process began again and ended with a third Status Quo under the Muslim Brotherhood ruling. Every time we went through the whole process of change creating, at the end, a new “Status Quo”.
2. A New Event
In some books, this “New Event” is also called “Foreign Element”. They both give the same meaning. This “New Foreign Event” takes place and causes a significant shake in the already stable “Status Quo”. On the macro level, in companies or countries for example, a small group that is seeking change creates this “New Event”.
The shaking impact, this New Event has on the “Status Quo”, is perceived by the majority as a threat, and so it begets what we can call “Resistance to change”. Breaking the comfort zone created by the Status Quo is very challenging for almost everyone. Ironically, a very big part of the success of the New Event happens only when it causes “Resistance”.
Lets apply it to Egypt. During the past two years, the new event has mainly always been the people in the streets. If analyzed closely, you will find that Resistance to Change groups were always a major part of the scene. If you take an even closer look at those two years, you will find that major impacts happen after major New Events. The latest we can mention is the one we are living right now. The “Newest Event” is the 30 June protests powered by the Tamarud Campaign.
3. Chaos.. Chaos.. Chaos!
Chaos is an inevitable part of the process. It is actually an indicator that a transformation is taking place. It happens as a result of the resistance caused by the new event. On the macro level, this is the moment the whole group enters the unknown. People tend to be very anxious and vulnerable during this phase. Relationships may scatter and old reactions and behaviors are now out of date! Things seem drastically, well, chaotic! The more the new event has an impact on the whole group (country), the more the chaos. This is by far the most challenging part of the process equally for those with and those against the New Event.
If we take it to Egypt, this is exactly what is happening these days. The impact of the “30th of June week” event is big on the whole country. Whether you see the event positively or negatively, you are affected, as you are a part of the big group (the Egyptian population). The good news is Chaos is not the end of the process…which means that it has an exit.
4. The Integration Phase
This is where creativity jumps in. A transformational idea that causes a change in emotions, beliefs or values is enough to change behaviors. In collective change, this is created by the group members. At this stage, people are still vulnerable and easily frustrated. They remain in this state till this new idea is well digested, or in other words well integrated, in their system.
In Egypt, this phase will mark the end of the current chaos. The people play a very big role in working each on their personal evolution. Leaders as well play a very significant role in supporting this integration by finding new methods in copping with the group differences that are presented on the scene. They should also help with reassuring their members. The word “Leaders” here is not pointing only to the government, nor the president. It is pointing to each and every one of us in his own group of influence. Be it a group of friends, a work group, a sports team or a political party.
5. New Status Quo!
Once digested and integration is complete, it becomes the new Status Quo. In groups, this new status is characterized by better understanding among the members as well as better performance. This is very relative to how well the integration phase went. The better it goes, the more the new status is stable. In this phase, the members want to feel safe. That is why Leaders and members have to work together very closely on continuous evolution.
Conclusion on Egypt
What is happening these days in Egypt is very painful. The good side of this is that we are, in fact, CHANGING. Yes chaos is getting really nasty, and unfortunately violent… but you can try to look at it as part of the process, leading to a new beginning. The New status we are heading to will mark that new beginning for all of us, on the country level as well as on the personal.
Beginnings are always beautiful, exciting, bright and hopeful. So what can we do in the Chaos? Simply, try not to make things worse.
Do not share any terrifying news without a very reliable source behind. Do not go into useless discussions that will only make you lose… Most importantly, sit back… take a deep breath… And hang on. You are living what will be later described in your kids and grand children history books.
Trust the process… And above all, trust God.
