How can you use empathy to build stronger relationships with colleagues who resist change?

Transparency is important. The more information you can give the less fears they will have. Even if they disagree with it they can at least understand why. Allow open communication so they can express their feelings and that way if there are any additional things that need to be communicated can be addressed.

Listen actively and ask open-ended questions to show that you care and respect their perspective. Avoid judging, blaming, or dismissing their feelings. Acknowledge and validate their emotions, even if you don't agree with them. Change can be unsettling and threatening to our sense of psychological safety and stability.

Ecouter activement, c'est écouter ce qui n'est pas dit. Ce qui n'est pas exprimé. C'est voir les signaux émotionnels non verbaux. C'est repérer les objections non verbales et les non dits. Pourquoi ? Car voir les émotions, c'est comprendre l'autre. Comment ? En aiguisant ses sens, et en apprenant à mieux repérer et décoder les micro-expressions faciales, qui expriment les émotions et les besoins. La résistance s'exprime principalement via le non verbal. Voir quand un collègue est sceptique ou inquiet, alors qu'il dit que tout va bien, ou qu'il n'a pas de remarque à faire... Cela s'apprend.

Colleagues who are resistant to change can be empathized with by actively listening to their worries and respecting their emotions. Describe a time when you had to adapt to a new situation and how you grew as a person as a result. Emphasize how the changes will help them specifically. Collaborate on solutions, ensuring their perspective is valued. Create a welcoming atmosphere where they can count on constant help. Empathy acts as a connector by showing that you get them and inviting them to participate in the process, which in turn builds trust and cooperation and helps keep connections strong as an organization undergoes change.

Examining the origins of resistance holds significant importance. Through this analysis, you can develop a deeper understanding and empathy towards your colleagues. As an executive coach, I recognize the value of triggering the core issues, empathizing and then preparing the roadmap. By fostering empathy, you can effectively coach or guide your colleagues to cope up with challenging phases.

We cannot change other people. But we can role model positive change inside out, demonstrate the positive impact of it, and this way inspire others to want to change too.

Empathy isn't just about hardships. When your child is excited about something, you feel their joy. When your friend is laughing at a joke, you experience their amusement. Empathy allows you to deepen your relationships as you connect with friends’ and loved ones’ thoughts and feelings, and they connect with yours.

La Communication Non Violente nous invite à exprimer nos ressentis et nos besoins. Une condition essentielle à l'empathie fonctionnelle est le non jugement et l'intention de comprendre, plutot de chercher en premier lieu à être compris. Dans le processus empathique que j'ai créé, la capacité à réguler et comprendre ses propres émotions est une étape indispensable pour être en capacité ensuite à voir les émotions des autres et entrer en résonance.

One thing I have found helpful is to talk to the person about what matters to them, what are they worried about most with this change. Once I have that information I can ask what they need to feel a level of comfort. For example to stop getting daily reports, what information can they obtain themselves? In other words, find an alternative within the new situation. This way they can embrace change knowing that they will not be hindered or impacted by it.

Collaborate with your colleagues, where you are on the same page while facing challenges and try to find solutions together. Avoid making yourself vulnerable by openly sharing your interests and needs, as this encourages your colleagues to be more forthcoming. Gain trust of your colleagues by building rapport with them and assist them where they need you to share their thoughts.

Une chose que j'ai apprise, avec l'expérience, est qu'il ne sert à rien de vouloir convaincre, et que l'on avance toujours mieux dans une relation en écoutant les besoins de chacun, et en nourrissant le premier besoin psychologique de l'etre humain : se sentir entendu et compris. Ainsi, il n'est plus question de résistance, mais de volonté à satisfaire les besoins du mieux possible.

Do not judge your colleagues when you see them reacting to the change instead that's the best time to act like a leader. That provides you the opportunities to become a role model for others at workplace. Take their feedbacks and help them by providing support.

La préoccupation empathique est essentielle : c'est s'intéresser sincèrement aux autres, et avoir l'intention de favoriser et cultiver une relation de confiance, axée sur la bienveillance et l'écoute.

One of the easiest and most straightforward ways to practice empathy is to have conversations with a wide range of people about their feelings and experiences. Because empathy is about trying on new perspectives, it's useful get exposed to lifestyles, worldviews, and life experiences that are different from your own.

Empathy should be a core skill to be learnt as part of communication skills training and leadership development. Empathy is a tool that can build bridges between different parties, opinions, and conflicting beliefs. Story telling is the best tool for building empathy, and could be embedded into our ways of working, training and development.

Lorsque j'ai accompagné une grande entreprise spécialisée dans la conduite du changement, j'ai tout de suite noté le manque d'accompagnement humain du changement : l'empathie est bien souvent absente dans un projet de transformation. Pourtant l'empathie est l'ingrédient qui convertit l'énergie humaine pour que tout devienne possible. A la fois ressource personnelle et compétence, l'empathie se travaille, avec de l'apprentissage et de la pratique. C'est le coeur de ma mission aujourd'hui.

Sharing your own experiences with change, when appropriate, establishes a connection and showcases your familiarity with similar challenges. Emphasizing common goals aligned with the proposed changes can create a shared sense of purpose, fostering collaboration. Additionally, extend support by offering assistance in navigating the changes, be it through additional training, resources, or any other needed support. In essence, empathy becomes a conduit for building trust and collaboration, bridging gaps even amid resistance to change. It also fosters psychological safety.