Four Stages of Change

The first act of change is denial. For most people in this stage, change is not easy to accept, and they react to it with a sense of denial or inability to see a problem. People in this stage do not believe that change is happening realistically. To avoid showing denial, people try to focus their attention on other things. In Jamie Oliver's episodes, the citizens of Huntington focused their attention on things, such as, the amount of money it costs to buy healthier food and how much more time it would take to prepare it.

The lunch ladies were very close-minded and seemed to always have an argument of denial against what Jamie was trying to preach to them. At one point in an episode, the head lunch lady even stated, “why fix something that isn’t broken. ” But, the reality is, that the food and overweight issues in the small town of Huntington is an issue. They just do not want to come to terms with facing it. Change is often interpreted as foreign and uncertain feelings, so people shift their attention to past customs and what makes them feel secure.

Jamie's role in this stage is to help the people of Huntington understand what is happening and how it affects them. The second act of change is resistance. People begin to resist change when they realize that the change is taking place whether they want it to or not. Feelings of anger, doubt, fear, and anxiety begin to develop, which can hinder the process of change. In Jamie Oliver's episodes, the lunch ladies of the elementary school exemplified a great deal of resistance in the change Jamie was trying to put forth.

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They constantly spoke about how they didn’t think that what Jamie was doing would work, and constantly complained about the new roles and strategies outlined for them. These things happen because people get pushed out of their comfort zone, and arguments and non-cooperation are ways in which team members show their resistance to change. In this stage, Jamie lends an ear to the team members concerns surrounding the change, and tries to encourage them that everything will work out.

The third stage of change is consideration. Here, team members give up on arguments and begin to become a “team player. ” People start acting and learning the new ways to contribute towards the changing process. They understand the rationality of the change, and how they are an important aspect in making that change happen. Rhonda began to consider the change process when she saw how the young children reacted to the healthier food that Jamie provided for them. She gave Jamie more time to allow his process to take place.

Also, the parents started “jumping on board” when they watched the demonstration that Jamie put on for them about what their kids are really eating, and how much nutrition they are really getting. People in this stage begin to start contributing towards the change to find out what is really in store for them. Jamie does a great job of helping the team members participate actively and providing them with the knowledge and training that will make them more comfortable in their new roles. The final stage of change is acceptance. In this stage, productivity and emotions are completely restored.

Members of the change process begin to accept their new roles and begin to settle in, as they gain more control in whats happening. An example of this taking place is when the high school lunch ladies committed to cooking the food from scratch, as they gave their support to Jamie's cause. Jamie rewards and acknowledges the ladies for their dedication and contributions as he continues to motivate them to stay committed. It is going through this final stage of change that allows the process to actually take place within itself.

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