Is Your Team Resistant to Change?
Getting to the ROOT of why your team is resisting change…
I’ll be honest. Some change I find very exciting but when it relates to technology, change is not my favorite.
My husband Jeremy, who is also my business partner, can confirm this. He is actually the opposite. He ENJOYS everything new related to technology.
When we were remodeling our home recently, he had the idea to install lighting that would connect to an app on his phone so that he could turn the lights on / off, set timers, change color and intensity of the lighting in any part of the house at any time from anywhere with the touch of a button.
Sounds like an amazing tool, right?
Well, I wasn’t happy. I knew that installing those lights would mean I had to have my phone accessible even more, give me LESS control when I didn’t have my phone, and the old way of doing it seemed to work just fine. It was just a flip of a switch. Reliable. Comfortable. I knew how to work it and wouldn’t need to learn a new system.
But, I’m proud to tell you, I eventually embraced the change. And I’m glad I did.
Why did I just tell you a story about our choice of lighting?
Because navigating change can be a challenge, regardless of whether it’s deciding on lights that connect to an app or major changes in our teams, systems, processes or technology that affects our daily work life.
Many leaders get SUPER frustrated with employees or peers who show up as RESISTANT to change. They can spend hours trying to CONVINCE someone of:
● the need to make a change,
● the innovation behind the change, or
● the consequences of NOT making a change.
These same leaders have a “stake” in the change, either financially, operationally, or relationally. Their drive for results, excellence, and growth can, at times, seem unyielding—and thus, they FORCE the change.
At this point, these leaders are frustrated. Why? Because it feels like they’re pushing a boulder up a hill with no help.
What they often miss is engaging people in a deeper conversation around the REAL resistance to change and then addressing the ROOT cause of the resistance.
There’s a problem-solving methodology in the manufacturing space known as the “5 Whys.” It’s a way of questioning that allows you to understand the root cause of why something is the way it is (or why someone is resistant to change).
In essence, you keep asking ‘why’ until you dig deep enough to know what the core issue is. Then you will be better equipped to address THE REAL ROOT CAUSE.
Coaching someone through change is no different.
Change is hard, especially in a world where we feel like we undergo change at break-neck speed.
But if you take the time to understand the WHY behind your team’s resistance to change, you will then be better positioned to help remove barriers, address specific issues, offer reassurance and support, and also to inspire them with the potential and possibilities of that change.