How can you manage change resistance when there is a lack of trust between leaders and employees?

When I look at this post, a quote comes to mind... "When we manipulate people they will give us exactly what we pay for "When we inspire people they will give us more than we ask for" Simon Sinek Trust is born out of consistency, transparency and dependency - If this is not how employees view leadership new foundations will need to be laid.

Hmmm let's see. How about we look at this from a different lens. Our company is always hired when a municipality is in trouble and we specialize in populations under 15000. Usually the council is new, and they were elected to fire the CAO, or the CAO has misfiring departments and has fired those leaders. Either way we come into a non functioning mistrustful, wore out, abused, or insufferable team. They didn't like the past leader and they sure don't want us. We typically have 18 months to 2 years to get it right. I'll spare you the theories and the white papers. Change cannot happen within the first 3 months. One has to get a feel and work with the organization or department. Take off your suit and work with the teams. More later!

In such a scenario, where there is both a lack of trust and resistance to change, we're dealing with two significant challenges that require separate but interconnected solutions. Firstly, addressing the trust deficit is crucial. Building trust is a gradual process, but it's essential to make visible efforts. Understand the root causes of mistrust and take concrete actions to rebuild it. Open, honest communication and consistent follow-through on commitments are key. Also, its vital to help teams know the reasons for the proposed change and long-term benefits. While it's natural for individuals to resist change, identifying and addressing the specific reasons for this resistance can also help in rebuilding trust.

Trust is the currency of success. You need to be adding to the Trust Jar constantly. Too often, I see leaders believe they have trusting relationships with their teams but don't make a deliberate effort to maintain this trust. They are reactive, not proactive. Some people respond to change by shifting on a dime. Others may be more resistant but do get on board with the right information. They shift on a quarter. Without trust though, neither will get on board.

One of the key reason for lack of trust between leaders and employees is the communication gap. Employees give more than 100% if Leaders are well connected with them by sharing their goals, understanding the ground level issues/challenges of their employees and inspire them by leading from the front. If this gap/mistrust needs to be addressed, leaders need to ensure that they are well connected with their team by doing regular formal and informal sessions with them.

The change is chosen for a purpose , so we must get the purpose stated and expected outcomes and benefits . Benefits could be financial or forms . Put them all in the change strategy document . Create cross functional teams (CFT) cutting across the organisation . Choose influencer from each dept in the CFT . They will champion the change in their dept and are expected to voice any resistance , reasons for resistance . Involve them in the conceptualization of the strategy . They will own the entire process till it gets deployed . Prepare KPI dashboards to indicate awareness (% trained ) adoption ( % entities using the changed process or system) and outcomes ( money made or saved due to the change) .

As a rule, those who have been rallied to a cause will remain committed when the following happens: ? Opinions are respected and listened to. Inputs or ideas are considered, and not discarded without a fair hearing or evaluation. ? People are treated honestly. There are no hidden agendas or self-serving plans that place a particular individual or workgroup at a disadvantage. ? Individual uniqueness is acknowledged and recognized. A coworker’s situation or ability to adapt to proposed changes is considered and accommodated. ? Promises—implied or explicit—are kept. Saying one thing and doing another at the organization's convenience will only produce resistance to the improvement effort.

Before any of this, leaders need to reflect on why there is no trust! What is their role in all of this? A lack of 'walking the talk' is a very common one, and/or a lack of self-reflection, and/or unwillingness to be an open and authentic human being first and foremost.

A step missing here is the structural set up of support for the change. Who is the sponsor? What teams are impacted and who are their leaders? Organizations are hierarchical and all “leaders” impacted need to be engaged, aligned, and involved to properly manage progressive change. Once you have your structure, you overlay your analysis of where the trust gaps are to tailor a focused plan. Greater areas of distrust will require more focus, energy, measurement to ensure its being mitigated and managed. Those engaged leaders play and active role is disseminating consistent key messages as they are prepared - that is often where the breakdown occurs…

Employees need to understand why the change is necessary and how it benefits both them and the organization as a whole. This vision should be aligned with the organization’s mission and values. Furthermore, you should outline how the change will impact individual employees, their roles and responsibilities, and the expected outcomes and milestones. To reinforce this vision, use compelling stories, real-world examples, or data to address any doubts or questions, ultimately building trust and buy-in for the change.

This is the magic. ?? Recruit a team of ‘change agents’ internally to act as advisors and representatives. This liaison approach helps mitigate the feelings of ‘us vs them’. Just, make it real. Give meaningful decision rights or it’ll backfire.

Invite the people who are going to be impacted - and not the same group that gets invited to work on every task force. Make sure to include some naysayers. Ask open-ended questions - and listen. Share a high-level vision - and ask what they think. And listen. Incorporate what you've heard in your messaging. Communicate frequently. Ask for feedback along the way.

This is where some organizations miss the mark. Decisions are made at the highest levels without considering input from people who do the work day-to-day. I recommend these steps as a part of your discovery process: 1. Gather feedback from multiple employees, not just your cheerleaders, but also people who don't easily get on board with change. You will not only gain buy-in, but you may gain insight into gaps or things to consider as you move forward. 2. Consider all teams across the organization. If a team doesn't get asked how a change could potentially impact their role in the business, you could be back-peddling later. 3. Finally, capture trends, not specific input so feedback remains anonymous and therefore honest.

Aqui n?o tem segredo. Envolva uma equipe que é engajada na mudan?a, que ser?o fundamentais para trazermos os grupos impactados para dentro da mudan?a. é fundamental que todos se sentam responsáveis pela mudan?a desde o início da mesma.

Change and transformation pilots should be from inside, no one on the outside can relate to the struggles. Ideation workshops with employees will give you real solutions, adapted to the reality you live in. Pick from those ideas and let the owner of the idea lead the implementation process.

As a professional cartoonist and graphic facilitator, I may be biased, but method not mentioned here is visual storytelling. A cartoon, infographic, or animated explainer can lay out the thinking behind the change in an engaging, human way, and show employees where they fit into the picture. In the case of cartoons, a bit of humor can help overcome resistance to change, show employees their anxieties are acknowledged and understood, and bond people together in a common cause. Cartoons also get shared more, so employees help spread the word. In any case, anything that helps lighten the mood when change feels stressful is a welcome addition to a suite of communications. Of course, this assumes that management is communicating at all!

Frequent and transparent communication is non-negotiable. It mitigates rumors and fear. As an expert, I advise leaders to communicate the good, the bad, and the uncertain, making themselves available to answer questions and concerns.

In my experience, open and honest communication is crucial to building trust. If leaders are transparent about the reasons for the change, the anticipated benefits, and the potential impact on employees, they can begin to rebuild trust and reduce resistance.

A couple of comm strategy considerations: CADENCE: not just often, or clear but consistent. Leveraging channels, and schedules enables info predictability - this helps teams know when to expect certain updates and can mitigate a negative spiral. READINESS: The message needs to be ready for the audience with the anticipated questions rehearsed. That doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers- in fact trying to answer concretely when you’re not sure can have a much more negative effect…but be ready for concerns. CONSISTENCY: Leaders need to have a consistent message prepared to reinforce any given point. When they go of script you run the risk of confusion across different groups which could also further hurt the trust factor.

To navigate the challenges of change when trust is limited, frequent and transparent communication is the only way forward. Keep your employees informed, updated, and engaged throughout the change process. Use various channels and formats – from newsletters and emails to meetings, webinars, or podcasts – to share information, progress, or challenges. Be honest, open, and consistent in your communication, avoiding jargon, ambiguity, or contradictions. Create feedback loops, hold Q&A sessions, or run polls to ensure your communication is clear, relevant, and responsive.

In my experience, one of the imperatives missing from the chance journey is the reward system. Celebrating small wins is what can build trust and reduce change fatigue. I can not agree more!

This has to be carefully managed. Especially the point about verbal praise and rewarding positive behaviors that support the change. There is tendency to inadvertently create a ‘Divide et impera’ situation if some behaviors are acknowledged and not all. It’s more important to get to the root of the resistance. Reward teams, reward departments, yes! No team member should get left behind. Praise one, praise all.

To nurture a culture of change, it’s crucial to recognize and celebrate positive behaviors that support the transition. Acknowledge and appreciate your employees’ efforts, achievements, or improvements that demonstrate their adaptability, collaboration, and innovation. Share testimonials, case studies, or success stories that showcase their best practices, results, or impacts. This fosters a supportive environment and encourages others to embrace change.

We're all motivated most deeply by emotions, hence the most positive rewards are intrinsic, that warm feeling of pride when you have done something right, you are proud of, something that was implemented on your suggestion or something that you were able to do for the benefit of others that touched and ticked your value system. Intrinsic rewards last, extrinsic rewards get spent. That's not to say they aren't appreciated. My point here builds on the suggestion of others to involve the team. Find out what makes the team tick, not what manipulates them, what they really buy into because it's part of their DNA. Systems such as DISC can help decision makers understand the values and preferred recognition and communication styles of their teams

One thing I have found helpful is recognition has nothing to do with results. All leaders must have the courage to recognise the efforts which the team is making even if they fail.

Providing support is one of the most important steps that often gets ignored. especially at the post implementation stage. As soon as the change is implemented, there is the tendency for management to move on to the next big thing, leaving many to struggle with change adoption. One thing I found useful is having change champions and advocates who will serve as change enthusiasts, encouraging others to embrace the change as well as hold their hands through all stages of the change implementation journey, pre/during/post.

4 Cognitive and emotional skills are necessary to effectively adapt to change: 1. Communication: Employees should be able to clearly articulate change initiatives, address concerns, and identify solutions to potential challenges. 2. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and respecting individual perspectives, acknowledging emotions, and providing support during transitions are key to managing change-related anxieties. 3. Adaptability and Flexibility: Employees should be open to new processes, technologies, and work environments, embracing challenges and acquiring new skills as needed. 4. Resilience and Coping Mechanisms: Developing coping strategies to manage stress, maintain optimism, and seek support is essential.

Providing support and resources is about enabling your team. Training, coaching, and equipping them with what they need to succeed can build trust that the organization is invested in their growth, not just in achieving the change.

Addressing change resistance in a low-trust environment involves open communication, building trust through transparency, involving employees in decision-making, providing clear reasons for the change, and demonstrating leadership commitment to the well-being of both the organization and its members. Open dialogue and fostering a sense of collaboration can help bridge the gap and make the change process more manageable.

Ensure that leadership is aligned and communicates a consistent message. Inconsistencies in messaging can erode trust further, so it's crucial to present a united front. Leaders should model the behaviors they expect from employees during the change.

Find Mutual Purpose. When trying to understand why there's resistance to change, it’s necessary to find mutual purpose. This means being genuine when looking for a common goal and honestly working to achieve the shared goal instead of leading toward a personally desired outcome. Mutual purpose means that others perceive that you’re working toward a common outcome in a situation, that you care about the employees reason/s why they do not want the change. Be curious, seek out feedback, then key into it to come to a middle ground. I have had to use real life examples to drive home points I had to make for why changes were needed, and while employees were not excited, seeing that there was a mutual purpose and benefit to them went a long way.

When there is a lack of trust between leaders and employees, managing change resistance can be especially difficult. It is important to remember that rebuilding trust takes time and effort. Patience, empathy, and consistent actions from leaders are key to effectively managing change resistance in a low-trust context.

WENNOVATE instead of INNOVATE The main reason why innovation projects get stopped is according to a linkedin poll: ‘LACK OF MANAGEMENT BUY-IN. That’s why in my experience as facilitator of 100+ projects you should better WENNOVATE instead of INNOVATE. Let me explain… Innovation is a long journey with high uncertainty. That’s why you should get all your internal - and external partners and the decision makers aligned as from the start, agreeing all on both your assignment and process. When you WENNOVATE in the way your project will be based on: - commitment, - trust, and - openness. Check out the FORTH innovation methodology, which combines design thinking with business thinking, which is based on this WENNOVATE principle.

Managing change resistance in a low-trust environment hinges on the three core trust drivers: authenticity, logic, and empathy. Rebuilding trust involves emphasizing these drivers by fostering authentic interactions, demonstrating logical competence, and genuinely caring about employees' well-being. When trust is eroded, addressing resistance necessitates restoring these trust-building elements through transparent communication, competency, and empathy to instill confidence in the change process. I recommend Francis Frei to learn more about building (and re-building) trust.

Lack of trust between people and leaders adds a layer of complexity to change management. And there is no quick fix for establishing trust. What has worked in experience is finding the right sponsors for the change initiative who have some credibility with the audience and build on that. Managers have an even more important role in such change initiatives as they are often the most trusted and connected with the teams at large.