Here's how you can overcome resistance to change as a leader.

Listening is powerful, but also pay attention to unstated (and unconscious) resistance to change. This tends to come in three predictable forms - 1. Apathy (they can't be bothered), 2. Paralysis (overwhelmed and confused as to what they need to do) and 3. Anxiety (worry about what it means). By anticipating these forms of resistance, you can mitigate their impact before they arise.

By thoroughly exploring and addressing these root causes, you can tailor your approach to effectively address objections and align the change with the needs and values of your team. Understanding why people resist helps in crafting targeted strategies, fostering empathy, and creating solutions that resonate with stakeholders, ultimately facilitating smoother transitions and increasing acceptance of the change.

Proactively, always have that transparency with the team what, why and how the changes are going to take place in the Org. In this digital era, lots of transformation is taking place in terms of processes getting automated, AI in use, Robotic Process Automations, tools, systems change, but the key to your team is the motivation, positive environment, positive approach and support from you & the management. Show up the confidence in your team and they will come up with all blazing guns.

Resistance to change occurs when there are value conflicts. Value has two definitions: 1. something of worth, and 2. one's beliefs. If someone feels that the value they get out of life will change for the worse or that their beliefs are threatened, then there will be resistance. Consider the following: For individuals, ask the right questions that help you understand what the value is. Then adapt the change message or solution as needed. For groups of individuals, or cultures, ask the right questions that help you understand whether they agree with the new vision, and agree with how to execute on that vision. If they do not, change your leadership approach to adjust to what the individual(s) need from their leader.

Resistance to change is almost the same as the Law of inertia, people prefer to remain in their comfort zone. To ease the friction needs, lubrication of understanding the fear of change with empathy, will release the resistance and bring them slowly into acceptance mode. As movement starts, by just constant push with the clear destination objective, the captain easily manoeuvres the entire team as one unit sitting in the driver's seat. Cruising the unit as a pleasure event, the seasoned leaders engage them such that each one of the members will perform the brand ambassador role. And best of all, the person at the bottom of the pyramid is advocating the change to the leader.

Make sure you communicate the "what is NOT" changing piece. It will decrease resistance significantly and make the transition much easier (especially if those are strong and important items).

Start Communicating about the change from as early as possible so that the clarity of whats going on builds over time and becomes normalised.

No sólo hay que transmitir la visión del cambio, si no la misión del mismo; el para qué se realiza el cambio. Porque la mayoría de las personas necesitan una motivación y sólo indicarles el destino puede no ser suficiente. Además, la motivación tiene que ser positiva porque aspectos como el miedo ("esto hay que tenerlo terminado para tal fecha") son contraproducentes. Y todos estos mensajes deben ser claros y transparentes; sin ocultar información ni medias tintas.

Vision requires a realistic future of how things could be, along with a plan to get there. Similar to planning a vacation, there must be a desirable outcome to chase, and an achievable way to get to that destination. Before communicating anything, take the time to understand the value of the change. What are the benefits to changing? And then have a structured plan on how to accomplish the job.

By clearly articulating the reasons for the change, its benefits, and its impact, you help minimize confusion and build trust. Clear communication ensures that everyone understands the objectives and their roles in the process, which can reduce resistance and foster a collaborative environment. It also provides a foundation for addressing concerns and aligning efforts toward common goals.

When involving your team, be sure to involve the right members. A recent study from Northwestern University found that there are four personality types across the world that can be summarized into Role Model, Average, Reserved, and Self-Centered. Find the Role Models, the ones everyone wants to be around and respect. Then have these individuals work with the Average personalities. As buy-in grows, add in Reserved and last those Self-Centered who could jeopardize the change efforts. Strength in numbers mitigates the risk of implementation failure.

Identify roadblocks & where to with your teams to remove those roadblocks- it will go a long way to lead from the back vs front.

This is not a novel idea with me. I learned it in one of the many change management classes I have taken. When leading change, be strategic. Think through the people involved and/or impacted by the change. Of these people, who can you call on to help drive the change? Who will not lead it, but will follow the leaders readily? Who will oppose it? Find ways to actively engage your change drivers. Give them important tasks and recognize them when those tasks are accomplished. Spend time with the opposers. Understand their point of view. Address their concerns. Seek to have major opposition resolved outside of public meetings and in advance of the change’s implementation.

Employees must be actively involved in the change process. Their input, ideas and feedback on proposed plans should be sought, which fosters a sense of ownership and commitment. This constant interaction contributes to creating an engaging and supportive environment to successfully achieve common goals.

Leading by example and allowing your team members to try the process is the best way to build the team's confidence. Understanding of the expected outcome by every team member gets them more committed t o the set goals which foster ownership. Collaboration and partnership make the set objectives easy and achievable.

By equipping them with the necessary tools and knowledge, and addressing any challenges they face, you reduce anxiety and build confidence. This supportive approach ensures a smoother transition, enhances adaptability, and reinforces commitment to the change process. Providing support demonstrates your investment in their success and helps facilitate a positive and effective adaptation to new conditions.

The easiest way for you is to let them accept the changes , Change can be scary if you don't know how to handle it. Providing training and resources helps people feel more confident. Let them know you're there to help, whether they need a mentor or just someone to talk to. Sometimes the training of the new technologies or new ERP causes a lot of frustration to the team or partially, so i recommend to follow an ongoing assessment strategies before making a substantial changes to jump over such resistance.

By delivering tangible, short-term results, you demonstrate the benefits of the change and boost morale. These initial victories help to overcome skepticism, reinforce the value of the change, and motivate continued engagement. Celebrating quick wins can build confidence, gain buy-in, and create a positive environment conducive to the successful implementation of longer-term goals.

How do you eat an elephant? Piece by piece. Accordingly, the change should be implemented little by little. To keep people motivated, they should be praised for those small steps.

This might be how you help the team or people involved get over some of their concerns about the change, making the change work for them as best as you can, front load some early wins, and celebrate them.

Most people absolutely embrace change……….. as long as it doesn’t affect me! Leadership by example is critical, others need to see that their leader is both dealing with and ultimately accepting the change. Then talking about how she or he felt going through the process. One lemming has to jump off the cliff first right? Why would it not be the leader?

"Be the change you want to see." And when you do - do it with a clear sense of direction; a positive mindset and preferably a smile on your face!

y embodying the values and practices associated with the change, you set a standard for others to follow, fostering trust and credibility. Your commitment and positive attitude can inspire and motivate your team, making them more likely to embrace and replicate the desired changes. Leading by example reinforces the importance of the change, promotes a cohesive culture, and drives successful outcomes.

For people to believe us when we talk about change, we need to be congruent with what we say. It is equally necessary to live and apply all that we talk about, because in this way we show that we really believe in change.

To successfully lead your team through change, it is crucial to first address your own concerns and take care of your own needs related to the change. By prioritizing your own readiness, you are building a foundation for the successful adoption of change within your team.

Always share a positive vision with your team , share with them the importance of getting better life and having the benefits beyond having the new technologies and participate with them the comparison between the current position if we will not change and if we did . Simulate and visualize the tactics and strategies to motivate your team and give them more confidence and incentives to move forward.

When addressing resistance to change within your team, keep in mind that everyone is different and will likely require varying levels and means of support. Our personalities play a significant role in shaping our reactions to change. Therefore, one of the key steps is to get to know your team and understand their individual approaches, reactions, and needs associated with change.

To overcome resistance to change as a leader, start by clearly communicating the vision and benefits of the change to all stakeholders. Involve team members in the decision-making process to foster ownership and buy-in. Address concerns by actively listening and providing support and training to ease the transition. By being transparent and empathetic, and by celebrating small wins, you can build trust and guide your team through the change process effectively.