Next Peak Podcast

Six Stages of Change

June 08, 2021 Season 3 Episode 21
Next Peak Podcast
Six Stages of Change
Show Notes

What Stage Of Change Are You In?

Today Clint Herndon and Dr. Parker Houston talk about the predictable stages of change. 
There are six stages of change, and you typically can’t skip stages; identifying where you are and where others are will help you lead change in yourself and others.  The six stages are: 

  1. Pre-contemplation: no intention to change, living in denial.
  2. Contemplation: aware of the problem without a significant effort to change
  3. Preparation: intending to take action
  4. Action: active attempts at changing behavior
  5. Maintenance: serious about change, behaviors showing the change 
  6. Relapse: making exceptions, not as serious about sticking to the intended change

For most people relapsing back into old behaviors is a normal part of changing anything in your life. The goal of acknowledging relapse as a stage is to take advantage of admitting it and make it a short period of time. 

Application: 

  • Identify the stage of change that you’re in
  • Mentally place an employee in a stage of change
  • Adjust how to approach the change in yourself or your employee
  • Leverage strategies and energy appropriate to the stage of change
  • Invest more time into people who are willing to change
  • Give assignments as tests to identify what stage someone is in
  • Demonstrate behaviors associated with a high stage of change 
  • Give yourself grace, and extend grace to those around you 

Book Recommendations:
The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness
Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward


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