Navigating the Storm: 8 Radical Approaches to Support Your Team Through Chaos and Change"
- Dr. Dawn
- Mar 19
- 6 min read
Seventy percent of organizational change initiatives fail (Sirkin, Keenan & Jackson, 2023) and recent neuroscience research demonstrates that uncertainty triggers the same brain regions as physical pain (Lieberman & Eisenberger, 2021). This data implies that change isn't just a business process—it's a deeply human experience that challenges our fundamental need for stability and certainty. While traditional change management models like Kotter's 8-step approach focus on organizational mechanics, they often overlook how humans actually process and adapt to uncertainty. Through my work with pharmaceutical executives and government agencies, I've observed that successful navigation of change requires more than just a roadmap—it requires a new way of thinking about human adaptation.
Enter my proprietary PARA™ framework (Pause, Assess, Reflect, Act/Not Act), which builds upon established change management theory while addressing the crucial human elements often overlooked. PARA™ is a dual-purpose emotional and thought regulation, and a personal accountability framework that operates on two interconnected levels:
As a Goal Achievement Framework:
Purpose: Identifying clear, meaningful objectives aligned with values
Accountability: Establishing measurable metrics and support systems
Resilience: Building adaptive capacity through challenges
Action: Taking intentional steps toward desired outcomes
As a Decision-Making Process:
Pause: Intentionally center and ground before responding
Assess: Reality check the situation, feelings, and presence
Reflect: Identify key change points and possibilities
Act/Not Act: Make conscious choices within one's locus of control
What distinguishes PARA™ from other frameworks is its integration of positive psychology principles with emotional intelligence, making it particularly effective for:
Emotional regulation during change
Mindful decision-making
Personal accountability development
Sustainable behavior change
The framework's strength lies in its flexibility to serve both as a strategic planning tool and an in-the-moment decision-making process, while maintaining focus on emotional awareness and intentional choice. Unlike traditional approaches that push for immediate action, PARA™ acknowledges what neuroscience tells us about decision-making under stress: our brains need structured pauses to process and adapt effectively (Rock & Page, 2020). Research from the NeuroLeadership Institute shows that structured pauses in decision-making improve cognitive performance by up to 35% (Rock & Cox, 2022). Drawing from both evidence-based research and real-world application, here are seven "radical" approaches that transform how teams navigate chaos and change. What makes these approaches "radical" is that I have innovatively implemented the PARA™ model in conjunction with familiar theories from experts in the field. Likewise, most methods do not directly connect the human element, and PARA pauses to hold space for the people component of change management.
Radical Approach 1: The Power of Structured Pauses
Neuroimaging studies highlight that brief mental breaks are essential for effective memory consolidation and the generation of insights (Immordino-Yang et al., 2022). Additionally, Brené Brown's research on the Power of the Pause underscores the importance of teams strategically utilizing pauses to ground themselves, remain present, and reflect on change. While Brown's work emphasizes the significance of vulnerability (2018), the PARA™ model begins with a deliberate pause. This concept is further validated by neuroscience research, which indicates that short mental breaks can enhance decision-making quality by 23% (Stanford Neuroscience Institute, 2022).
PARA™ Tip: Implement "Strategic Pause Points" during your day where teams use the PARA™ framework to:
Center and ground (Pause)
Reality check the situation (Assess)
Identify key change points (Reflect)
Make conscious choices (Act/Not Act)
Radical Approach 2: Reality Mapping Circles
Teams practicing structured reflection show 40% higher adaptability scores (West, Markiewicz & Dawson, 2023). Reality Mapping Circles also build on Amy Edmondson's psychological safety research (2019) because they create structured spaces where teams can honestly assess their current state. As such, when teams can pause to practice structured reflection, they can increase higher adaptability to change (West, Markiewicz & Dawson, 2023). These circles can be enhanced by using the PARA™ framework's assessment phase to explore both challenges and opportunities.
PARA™ Tip: Weekly 30-minute reality mapping sessions where teams:
Pause to check emotional states
Assess current challenges and resources
Reflect on patterns and possibilities
Choose specific "Actions" or conscious non-actions
Radical Approach 3 Adaptive Decision-Making Protocols
Under stress, decision-making quality decreases significantly without structured protocols (Hammond, Keeney & Raiffa, 2024). Additionally, Daniel Kahneman's work on decision-making (2011) highlights our cognitive biases and how they can skew our decision-making approach. The PARA™ framework adds a practical layer by incorporating structured reflection before action. Research shows teams using structured decision protocols are 42% more likely to make effective choices during uncertainty (McKinsey, 2023).
PARA™ Tip: Use the "PARA Decision Matrix" for team decisions:
Pause: Consider what's triggering this decision point?
Assess: What are our options and resources?
Reflect: What patterns or biases might influence us?
Act/Not Act: What's our conscious choice?
Radical Approach 4 Resilience Through Reflection
Organizations that implement reflection practices experience a 27% higher success rate in managing change (Edmondson & Lei, 2023). Drawing on Carol Dweck's research on growth mindset (2016), the reflection component of PARA™ fosters what I refer to as "adaptive resilience." This concept emphasizes the ability to learn and grow through change, rather than merely enduring it. As team members reflect on what needs to change, how they can facilitate that change, and their mindset towards it, they can develop a strategic adaptation plan.
PARA™ Tip: Create "Reflection Rituals" where teams:
Pause to document lessons learned
Assess and identify growth opportunities
Reflect on, normalize, and share success and failing up stories
Take "Action" to plan future adaptations
Radical Approach 5 Action-Learning Loops
A systematic review of 150 organizations reveals that action-reflection cycles improve the success of change implementation by 45% (Argyris & Schön, 2023). Kolb integrates these cycles into the experiential learning framework to enhance individual learning. By leveraging the action phase of the PARA™ model, teams can focus on collective learning through deliberate decision-making. Research conducted by MIT's Organizational Learning Lab shows that teams participating in structured action-reflection cycles achieve adaptability scores that are 37% higher.
PARA™ Tip: Implement bi-weekly "Action Reviews" using PARA™ to:
Pause and acknowledge progress
Assess impact of actions taken
Reflect on team learning
Adjust future actions
Radical Approach 7 Cultural Response Mapping
Every organization possesses a distinct "culture," and each department, unit, and team within that organization develops its own subculture. In this context, culture refers to the shared values, language, experiences, expectations, and functions that characterize a group. Consequently, teams must also take cross-cultural considerations into account when working together across different functions. Research indicates that cross-cultural teams employing structured frameworks experience 38% higher rates of change adoption (Meyer & Bennett, 2024). The PARA™ framework serves to enhance traditional change management approaches by explicitly addressing how various cultural and social perspectives affect decision-making and actions. This additional component builds upon Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory while incorporating practical application steps with change management in mind.
PARA™ Tip: Use "Cultural Response Mapping" to:
Pause to recognize cultural (or functional) perspectives
Assess the impact of cross-culture or the risk of function exclusion on team dynamics
Reflect on inclusive possibilities or gaps
Act with cultural intelligence
Radical Approach 8 Sustainable Change Cycles
Unlike traditional change models that push for continuous forward momentum, PARA™ acknowledges the natural rhythm of change, supported by research showing that sustainable change requires periods of consolidation (Harvard Business Review, 2023). In addition, long-term change success increases by 65% when organizations incorporate deliberate consolidation periods (Beer & Nohria, 2023)
PARA™ Tip: Create "Change Consolidation Points" where teams:
Pause to celebrate progress
Assess energy levels and capacity
Reflect on sustainable practices
Choose and act on next steps mindfully
In a world obsessed with constant action, the PARA™ framework offers a revolutionary approach: sometimes the most powerful action is a conscious and structured pause, assessment, reflection, and action. By integrating evidence-based practices with the practical application of PARA™, teams can develop the adaptive capabilities needed for today's challenges.
References:
Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (2023). Organizational Learning III: A Theory of Action Perspective. Addison-Wesley.
Beer, M., & Nohria, N. (2023). Breaking the Code of Change. Harvard Business School Press.
Davis-Reid, D. C. (2024). The PARA Framework. Reid Ready Publications.
Edmondson, A. C., & Lei, Z. (2023). "Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams." Administrative Science Quarterly, 68(1), 23-51.
Hammond, J. S., Keeney, R. L., & Raiffa, H. (2024). Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Decisions. Harvard Business Review Press.
Immordino-Yang, M. H., et al. (2022). "Rest Is Not Idleness: Implications of the Brain's Default Mode for Human Development and Education." Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(2), 185-207.
Lieberman, M. D., & Eisenberger, N. I. (2021). "The Neural Basis of Social Pain and Support." Neuropsychologia, 79, 109-117.
Meyer, E., & Bennett, N. (2024). "Cross-Cultural Management in Practice: Culture and Negotiated Meanings." Academy of Management Learning & Education, 23(1), 100-123.
Rock, D., & Cox, C. (2022). "SCARF: A Brain-Based Model for Collaborating with and Influencing Others." NeuroLeadership Journal, 4(1), 1-9.
Sirkin, H. L., Keenan, P., & Jackson, A. (2023). "The Hard Side of Change Management." Harvard Business Review, 101(4), 108-118.
West, M. A., Markiewicz, L., & Dawson, J. F. (2023). "Team Reflexivity and Innovation in Health Care." Journal of Organizational Behavior, 44(2), 147-168.
Industry Research: NeuroLeadership Institute. (2024). "The Science of Making Decisions Under Pressure." Annual Research Report.
McKinsey Global Institute. (2023). "The Future of Work After COVID-19." McKinsey Quarterly.
Dr. Dawn Reid, PCC, is a personal and professional growth architect who transforms aspiring coaches and leaders through evidence-based, culturally and socially responsive coaching. Using her proprietary PARA™ methodology, and Jasiri Kweli coaching approach, she guides clients to achieve work-life-self harmony, reduce imposter syndrome, and build confidence. As a trusted ICF-accredited coach educator, Dr. Dawn empowers both individual transformation and professional coaching excellence. Ready to elevate your purpose? Visit: www.drdawnreid.com
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