Hot and Cold Syndrome: How To Manage It?

This has nothing to do with Church or the gospel directly, but is something I’ve been wondering.

It seems that people, when used to a certain situation, seem to react negatively to a new situation, citing all the disadvantages of the new situation compared to the old situation.

For example, I had students who were used to 16 week courses. Then we moved to an 8-week format. Everyone was upset about the 8-week format, criticizing it left and right. Eventually they got used to it, and after a couple years, the whole student body knew nothing different – many started in that format, didn’t complain and got used to it. Then, we introduced ONE COURSE that was 16 weeks long and the students did it again — in reverse — they cited all the disadvantages of 16-week courses relative to the 8-week format. Everyone started complaining it was too long etcetera, and cited all kinds of disadvantages.

So, the people used to 8 weeks griped about the 16 week format, and the people used to the 16 week format griped about the 8 week format.

Therefore, regardless of the format they started with, they griped about the new format.

How do you manage situations like this so people accept change better? It seems like you can’t win!!!