Persuasion

     Persuasion is usually implied more than stated in proper company. That’s unfortunate. Ultimately the objective is to get others to see things your way and to follow your lead. That is persuasion. The means are immaterial so long as they’re ethical, appropriate, and honest.

Patience

     Change rarely, if ever happens quickly. It is a process that takes time and repetition. Not only do you need to find the right way to “persuade” them (maybe facts maybe emotions, maybe…), you have to connect with them.

Persistence

     Persistence is the active part of patience: trying and trying again. You have to persist. You have to stay with it until the goal is accomplished (THEY change), not just until you have performed the task (YOU told them). Eventually, change will happen. It always does.

Use the 3-Ps for managing resistance to change

     These 3-Ps are the fundamental core of overcoming resistance. Anything else is a derivation or gimmick. Luckily, they are valuable for just about everything else you might be called upon to achieve in life.

     The 3-Ps are such universally applicable drives, they are even expressed by non-humans. A sheepdog, for instance, persuades by getting a few “early adopters” in the herd of ewes (the “change champions”) to start moving the desired way. The dog keeps gentle pressure on the herd from every direction, moving around from left to right and back so they keep moving. When one straggles (the “resister”) the dog moves close to communicate. When the sheep moves, the dog responds; when the sheep pushes back the dog lets it move and uses that energy to gently turn it the right direction. This dance goes on for a while. The dog patiently and persistently persuades the herd to the desired path. At no time does this change manager bark or snap at those who are to change.

Understanding why people resist change is the place to start

Dealing with resistance is at least a 2-step process: (1) understand or unearth, then (2) address and assuage.

Classes of objection to organizational change

     There are literally infinite reasons for people to object and resist. Broadly, however, these fall into five classes, ordered from most to least troublesome.

• Value and belief conflicts — Values and beliefs run deep. Conflict with a person’s true values and beliefs is sure to result in resistance, rebuttal, or rebellion.
• Status and self-conception — Particularly these days, we are all very wrapped up in who and what we are (our “brands”). Anything perceived to diminish this psycho-social status will not be well accepted.
• (Organizational) Politics — Whether at the individual or “tribal” (team, department, etc.) level, we tend to oppose things that impinge on our turf.
• Self-Limitation — Whether skills or perception or otherwise, people tend to oppose what they can’t understand or perceive, and more so can’t see, or do.
• Objective objections — Sometimes people object for genuine, objective reasons. They have thought things through and come to a different conclusion. And they seem to be willing to die on that particular hill.

Typical reasons for resistance to organizational change

     Remember, not all individuals resist change and some may even embrace it. Change agents and leaders have to understand at least some common reasons why people may resist change in some way on some level. There are many; only a few follow.

1. Organizational culture and norms: Organizational culture and norms shape employees’ social behaviors and attitudes towards change. If an organization has a culture that resists change or change benefits have not been effectively communicated, employees may resist it.
2. Fear of the unknown: Change often involves stepping into the unknown, sometimes triggering fear and discomfort. People prefer the familiar and predictable even if it is not optimal, because it feels safer and more comfortable. People are creatures of habit. Familiarity provides comfort and security, while change disrupts established routines.
3. Loss of control: Change can disrupt established routines and patterns, and people may feel they are losing control over their familiar way of doing things. Loss of control can be unsettling.
4. Fear of failure: Change comes with (perceived) risk and potential for failure. People may worry about the consequences of change, such as making mistakes or facing negative outcomes.
5. Emotional attachment: People almost always develop emotional attachments to the status quo, especially if they have invested time and effort into a particular way of doing things. Change that challenges emotional attachments usually is resisted.
6. Past negative experiences: Previous negative experiences with change, such as failed change initiatives or negative outcomes, often result in cynical resistance to later changes.

Psychological matters are the root of resistance to change

     Resistance starts in—or at least passes through—the mind. It’s not necessary to be a psychoanalyst, but being aware of active psychological phenomena can’t hurt. Cognitive biases are systematic errors in thinking that influence decision-making and perception. Humans are chock-a-block with these. For example:

1. Loss aversion: People tend to perceive losses more significantly than gains of equal value. Change typically means letting go of something familiar, so it is a loss. People may resist change to avoid perceived losses, even if potential gains from the change outweigh the losses.
2. Confirmation bias: People tend to seek, interpret, and favour information that confirms existing beliefs or attitudes, while ignoring or dismissing information that challenges them. Faced with change, people may selectively perceive information that supports their resistance to it.
3. Cognitive dissonance: Discomfort arises from holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. If change challenges a person’s existing beliefs or attitudes, it creates cognitive dissonance. People may resist change to smooth out this feeling.
4. Habitual thinking: A habit is a mental shortcut (heuristic) that relies on familiar patterns of thought and behavior. Change disrupts habitual thinking patterns, requiring conscious effort and cognitive resources to adapt. Nobody wants to put in more effort when “It’s already been figured out.” Thus resistance.
5. Emotional reactions: Emotions such as fear, anxiety, and uncertainty (and others) can be triggered by change. Emotional responses influence cognitive processes and decision-making. For example, fear of the unknown can become resistance to a change perceived as a threat to emotional well-being.

     Change agents and leaders should design change initiatives to align with these and other psychological and cognitive factors to address (potential) resistance to change.

     Change always impacts individuals at a deeply personal level—even at work, and addressing these issues with empathy and understanding can be critical in managing and mitigating resistance to change.

[1]   If you find yourself needing to develop, let alone design something beyond your existing arsenal of tactics, maybe more preparation is in order.