Most of you that I know and work with understand where I come from with change and transition (they are different by my definition). When you invite change and transition whether in a company, church, government or family you invite people to be frightened, challenged, uninformed and confused. To this end I really like what Seth Godin shared in his blog this week:

"In the face of significant change and opportunity, people are often one of the three. If you're going to be of assistance it helps to know which one.

Uninformed people need information and insight in order to do what's next. They are approaching the problem with optimism and calm, but they need to be taught.

Clueless people don't know what to do and they don't know that they don't know what to do. They don't know the right questions to ask. Giving them instructions is insufficient. First, they have to be sold on what the platform looks like.

And frightened people will resist any help you give them, and they will blame your for the stress the change is causing. Scared people like to shoot the messenger. Duck.

The worst kind of frightened person is the one with power. Someone in a mob with other frightened people, someone with a gun, someone who is the CEO (or other leader in a company, church, family, etc.). Before someone can change, they have to learn, and before they learn they have to cease being scared.

Comfort the frightened, coach the clueless and teach the uninformed."

I like his insights. However, on the last line I would have to change it to comfort the frightened and teach the uninformed to see if they get it. To the clueless, chances are if they didn't get it, selling them on a picture of what it will look like will likely only confuse them more and make them even more clueless. Just a thought.

Finally, as Valentine's Day approaches, you have to watch this three minute story from www.compassionforhaiti.com. It's a great love story and stronger than horseradish.