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Jan./Feb./Mar. 2005
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By: William Steel, National President
 Movin' On
As we celebrate the accomplishments of 2004 we should also use this time to set more ambitious goals to reach out into our local communities and foster cooperation and dialogue, especially across the partisan and philosophical divides in this great nation. We have just finished one of the more contentious elections for the Presidency and control of the U.S Congress in our nation's history.
Nothing illustrates the depth of the political divide more than two newspapers. The Crawford, Texas Iconoclast, President Bush's hometown newspaper, endorsed Senator Kerry for President while the Boston Herald from Senator Kerry's hometown, endorsed President Bush.
A vigorous and hard fought election is not, per se, something to be concerned about. Elections that represent a dialogue on important national questions that are resolved through the shared experience of voting are a strength of our process, not a weakness. Record high numbers of people participating in an election is a victory, not a defeat for democracy.
We should get concerned though when the process is subtly altered or manipulated. Questionable campaign practices, scare tactics to keep voters from going to the polls, unreasonable requirements to place names and issues on the ballot, and the threats of litigation over the results, should be questioned, as should the vast amounts of money going into campaigns, and the increasingly partisan reports of the media. If these concerns are left unchecked we will be left with only a choice between skillfully marketed and advertised candidates.
At the National Grange we look forward to working with President Bush's new administration in 2005 and beyond. In some small way we hope to be able to assist in healing the political and philosophical divides that have descended upon our great republic.
Let's all get back to talking to our neighbors about the issues that concern us and find ways to mend our common fences so that once again we might be "one nation under God".
May our motto: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity" guide our deliberations and our actions as we together lead this organization to new heights, and to new locations, in 2005!
Best wishes for a joyous Holiday Season, and prosperous New Year!
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| Middletown Grange Believes Change Is Good, Very Good |
By: Shaletta Espie
Sr. Communications Manager, National Grange |
One of the most difficult parts about being a leader is organizing and managing change. First, you have to formulate a plan filled with mission statements, goals, objectives and strategies. Next, you have to influence people around you to buy into your plan. Finally, you must find ways to set your plan in motion with little or no adverse effect.
But through it all, you must believe that change is good, and that's exactly what Scott Dangler, President of the Middletown Grange in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, believes. "Change should not be feared," said Dangler. "Too many people fear change. Change is good, if you make it good. We saw a need for change in our Grange, so we decided to create change."
The changes that took place at the Middletown Grange increased membership by 85 percent and helped the organization get more involved in the community. Taking the first two steps toward change was easy for Dangler and company: 1. Attend the Action Grange II program and 2. Create a plan, complete with mission statements, goals, objectives and strategies. The hard part came when trying to convince traditional Grange members to change the master's title to president, exclude the open rituals from meetings, stick to a regular meeting schedule and conduct open, informal meetings to invite non-Grange members.
"The Grange made a big difference in my life, and I want it to make a difference in my children and grandchildren's lives," said Dangler, 38. "If the Grange doesn't make changes, it will not be here for future generations. That's the message I had to communicate to several of our older members who are now in their 80s and 90s but who have been Grange members since they were five or six. We must grow with the times. The world looks different than when the Grange was first created. I think they understand now, but it was truly not easy."
Through it all Dangler has not only learned to manage and lead change but how to motivate people to believe in change. His secret: learn to understand human nature.
Dealing with Change
People have deep attachments to their organization, work group, and way of working. The ability to adapt to changing work conditions is key for individual and organizational survival. Change will be ever present, and learning to manage and lead change includes not only understanding human tendencies but also possessing the proper skills.
During the change process, there are common predictable stresses, but how one reacts to those stresses will differ for each person since everyone is unique. The anxiety and confusion that result from not knowing what lies ahead can create stress.
People will utilize basic defenses when there is a high degree of uncertainty. In this state of uncertainty, people can easily resort to distrust, withdrawal and self-protection. People are told that the old ways are no longer working, and often this message becomes personalized that they are not valued or are not doing their jobs properly.
"For most people, the emotional reactions while going through an organizational change can be similar to the stages of grief associated with personal loss," said Dr. David Ozag, Organizational Change Professor at the University of Maryland. "Individuals may initially feel shock or denial when the organizational change is announced. Reactions such as 'they can't do this or this can't be happening' are common."
At this stage, many people will want to know exactly how the change will affect them and will not be able to fully interpret what's going on around them. The most common questions will be, "how do these change affect 'our' way of doing things?" At the next stage, many will feel anger, resentment or sadness in response to the changes. "This isn't fair" and "why are they doing this?" These are normal reactions, Ozag said. Productivity will be lower as individuals discuss and process the changes among themselves.
The individual experiencing organizational change at a personal level often feels threatened and fearful. Leaders recognizing this can better intervene by acknowledging these feelings, letting the individual vent and ask questions, and understanding that change is difficult.
At every step in the process of implementing an organizational change, a good leader will ask him/herself, "How might I react to these changes if I was the person hearing about them?" and try to tailor the response accordingly. A leader who moves straight into why the change is best for everyone and how business is going to be conducted disregards the human element - the emotions that are normal and natural for anyone feeling threatened by change.
"The Grange is about people, so I knew I had to listen to the people, but as the president, I also had to make tough decisions," said Dangler. "A lot of our older members didn't like the fact that younger people were coming in and requesting changes. In fact, when I became master at 32, many older members stopped coming to the meetings. I overcame this by having our older members and younger members interact more to create friendship between them. They can all learn from each other."
As the organization implement the change, the reality of the change sinks in, individuals may either resist or start to adjust. Those who continue to resist, remain angry or are labeled "difficult" may need some one-to-one time with the leader to discuss the change. Or at some point, they may need clarification from the leader about why the change is necessary.
"I personally talked to every member who I noticed resisting the changes," said Dangler. "I just didn't say, 'oh well,' and let them walk away."
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