How would you navigate resistance from senior team members during a change initiative?

In my opinion ,to create impactful change, involve individuals in the process, making learning experiences compelling and relevant. Help them see how their thoughts and actions shape work systems and influence behaviors and outcomes. Engage them as part of the change team, fostering ownership and understanding, and ensure continuous feedback and reflection for sustained improvement.

You have to create normative experiences for them. Make the learning undeniable and ideally make them part of the change team. They need to understand the link between their thinking and how that has influenced the system of work (how we have designed the work) and the resultant behaviours that delivers the performance of that system.

WIIIFM…. People whether they acknowledge it or not will look for What Is In It For Me. So that’s why they need to involved so you can engage them, allow them to feel they are part of the change, co-create and adapt with their needs. You will always have some people ready to jump right in, others that will observe and then decide and some detractors.

Changé should be managed carefully as a person is being moved from a position of "stability" to an unknown position or status. From the outset it is important that communication is filtered through all sphères of the organisation for buy in. It thus important to have change agents which would be made up of staff at all levels. They should understand what the organisation is trying to achieve, in that way they would be able to sell to fellow colleagues.

Resistance to a change management initiative is not limited to senior team members. Throughout the process, various forms of resistance will emerge from all generations and functional areas within the organization. These resistances need to be managed and mitigated. However, it is an illusion to believe that these pockets of resistance will completely disappear. To be clear, change management is often a win-lose situation for many of the parties involved. Management tools and consultants can provide solutions to address most issues, but there is no one-size-fits-all answer. In short, take care of the entire staff across the organization as much as possible.

Ensure that you communicate the reason for the change, the benefits and how it aligns with the organization's goals. Use clear and concise language.

Communicating the case for change is a golden rule that I employ for Change Management initiatives. Before a project goes life, the necessary ground work is done to understand: 1. The reason for change? 2. Who are the stakeholders and their dynamics? 3. Is the case of change strong to address the concerns from stakeholders? 4. What are the implications for staying status-quo, ie no change? 5. So what does the change bring? Simple as it is, we have to factor in the most important element, human, who are both logical and emotional. Ability to address both rational needs and emotional considerations will reduce change resistance and increase project success. Have fun! When we are having fun, we lighten up the emotions.

If something is resistance to the initiative, then it must be discussed with senior and if that change is beneficial then we need to give so many or some benefit for the organization and challenges we faced during the set up the initiative need to be discussed. Finally how can we avoid those issues so it can never happen again after setting it up.

One thing I have noticed about communication is that once a part is disrupted the whole thing messes up. This reminds me of my experience in an exam I took some time ago, I got the pattern wrong and that was how I lost valuable marks. How does this two relate? Once the team members don't get the concept right they can never perform us expected.Let them understand how and why the change is necessary.

Before communicating the vision, if we have listened carefully, we will be able to propose a common starting point (a goal), with language that 'speaks their language' (e.g. CFO > time, cost). The 'vision' will have to be co-created by the table (Board) with our guidance and facilitation support and include a clear reference not only to the destination they want to reach, but also to the type of path they will have to take. All of this (reason why, goals, key capabilities and resources) must be documented in a business case by the project management team. The case must then be shared with the board for discussion, integration and validation, in order to reach a consensus and seal the mutual commitment.

Apart of change management and it's mitigation with resistance is the awareness built at the initial stage of implementation and throughout the process. Having Senior team members on a team means that you have senior years that have witnessed multiple changes and have garnered gems of wisdom and lessons learnt . It is imperative that the Senior team members understand the vision and more so see themselves as capable change coaches and advocates. Intentionally including the Senior team members in awareness activities would reaffirm value and downplay the feeling of becoming obsolete. They would now have a "changed" perspective, through a different lens.

I have found that it is helpful to do a thorough stakeholder analysis before introducing any change. This guides proper involvement from the beginning. Learning the craft of moving people from their default position of influence and or support for the change goes a long way. Someone who would be an opponent may, with well thought out strategies prior to introducing change, be a champion of the change instead.

One thing I’ve found helpful is to emphasize accountability in dialogue. Often with change projects we have static owner and sponsor without having change event owner and sponsor. When we assign leaders change event owners and sponsors we actually create advocates out is senior leaders who may have felt they were just change recipients. They now lend a voice to the change and have to deliver on it from an integrity point of view. In other words as the change event occurs…democratize the power of message dissemination and see when you get more support through integrity of influence

Involving the senior team members in the execution of change activities makes them know they are valued and part of the 'future' that the organization is creating, It empowers them and exposes them to opportunities to grow and learn as well.

Any type of resistance during a change initiative requires a blend of empathy, communication, and strategic engagement especially for senior team. It requires active listening to concerns, acknowledging their experience, and involving them in the decision making to foster a sense of ownership (this one works in multiple settings). Communicating clearly the benefits of the change and make sure it aligns with organizational goals and their interests and most of all build trust and show respect can turn resistance into collaboration.

Being patient with leaders is crucial and yields significant benefits. Securing their buy-in and support for implementing changes is essential. Through experience, I have found that demonstrating patience in understanding and addressing their concerns paves the way for complete buy-in, leading to the successful implementation of necessary changes.

Providing support through training, resources, and reassurance is essential for helping senior team members adapt to change. Emphasizing that it is normal to face a learning curve and that making mistakes is part of the process helps alleviate their concerns. Establishing mentorship or coaching opportunities, where they can learn from others who have successfully navigated similar changes, builds confidence and eases the transition.

Provide Support. Offer resources, training, or support to help them adapt to the change. Ensuring they have the tools and knowledge needed can alleviate some of their concerns.

If a particular team member or a number of team members are struggling to find their footing in a team, individual mentoring outside the team dynamic may help by concentrating the dialogue and analysis process with a more personal focus. Out of this process, an individual action plan, to support the team member can be formulated.

Often, if you are the Change Agent who works alongside the senior team members, you are regarded as the change expert. Offer support in terms of adopting a structured change methodology to bind the team in the change effort. Without which, the members can deviate; discussions can go all over the place; and decisions may be fragmented. Offer support backing the senior team members by being their strategic partner. Support them with research where necessary; partner them at every employee change communication platforms; and be the go to admin expert when they ready to engage their staff. Be there for them any time they need expert assistance.

Highlight Benefits: Emphasize how the change will benefit not just the organization but also their role or department. Demonstrating tangible benefits can help in gaining their support.

Demonstrating quick wins at the project's outset will secure strong support and buy-in. Analyze the entire workflow and identify opportunities to eliminate, simplify, and automate tasks. Showcase these early benefits to sell the vision and build momentum.

From the strategic project objectives, it is necessary to define a plan of milestones (critical events) to be achieved, which may be represented, for example, by the release of a deliverable (output), result achieved (outcome) and benefits generated (benefits). Quick wins can be considered as short-term objectives, which can be achieved either during the initial phases of the project (1st or 2nd wave) or - a posteriori - shortly after delivery (e.g. 1-3 months). Quick wins can be outputs, outcomes and benefits. They are tangible signs of the project's progress/success and, therefore, must be co-defined in line with the priorities and expectations of key stakeholders (e.g. board members, buyers, etc.).

Establish an audit and review process to evaluate the status of short, medium and long term goals and objectives. It is like a slide rule approach. Hopefully medium and long term endeavours move closer to resolution.

I think this is always important. But don't stop at creating the win ... exploit it (I really mean market it, but that sounds more provocative) ... advertise the win, build on it and use it throughout you implementation.

Adjusting the practices is not a measure of failure but a necessary action to develop bespoke systems. Being open to the feedback of others and knowing which parts of your vision to hold firm to (the essence of the vision) and which parts can be refined, reworked or even dropped.

I think it's important to remember that, when change has been initiated, the fact that you may have initial resistance doesn't mean that the change is (or will be) unsuccessful. Sometimes people have been used to doing things a certain way, and it will take time for the new way to settle in. I feel this is especially true if these senior members, for example, were with the company when "x" initiative was established when CEO A was there. Then "y" initiative was established when CEO B replaced CEO A. Again, it doesn't mean the change WON'T take place, but patience and probably some positive reinforcement should help.

Restez flexible afin de laisser le groupe s'épanouir, mais ne vous éloigner pas de vos objectifs à atteindre Il faut tenir compte de la sensibilité et le désir de chacun d'être respecté par les autres

Tout changement à un but et une date butée. Il y a un choix à faire sur le positionnement humain : - respecter le délai à tout prix (la fin justifie les moyens) - respecter l’être humain avant tout (ensemble on va plus loin) Les deux sont rarement compatibles :) Mon expérience montre que le respect du délai ne sert qu’à flatter quelques egos alors que le respect de l’humain apporte sérénité et durabilité au changement. Un changement, une restructuration menée avec respect de l’humain est la meilleure garantie pour une entreprise de pouvoir évoluer à nouveau quand le marché l’exigera…

From my experience in a couple of such situations I focused on these aspects: 1. Engaging in open communication: I held regular, transparent meetings to address concerns and provide consistent updates. 2. Involving senior team members early: I included them in the planning stages, ensuring they felt ownership and could contribute their insights. 3. Demonstrating the benefits: I used data and success stories from other regions to highlight potential gains, turning skepticism into support. This approach built trust, fostered collaboration, and ultimately led to a successful implementation.

Navigating resistance from senior team members during a change initiative requires open communication, addressing concerns directly, involving them in decision-making, and demonstrating the benefits of the change. Building trust and providing clear, consistent information can also help align them with the initiative’s goals and reduce resistance.

From my experiences, every few years in an organization, senior management will change due to performance or due to better opportunities. People come and go, but company is there to stay. So having a strong corporate culture that instills strong adaptability to changes is important. This is because, every time management changes, they will want to bring in their own staff, own practices, own way of working. However, if there is strong corporate culture, no single change at the top management should have significant impact in the whole company.

Change is hard and most of us have a very swift and strong response to change, which is a normally no and a defensive posture. As a leader, if we're instituting change, we must know this to be true and have the skills, aptitude, and fortitude to guide our team through the change. With that, I always recommend to leaders (and myself) the WHAT is a non-negotiable. The WHY will most likely be different for different people and teams. The HOW will be different for all. By walking through the WHAT of our change, the broad WHY of our change and allowing people the chance to talk it out, our chances of increasing the adoption of the change go up exponentially. Even more so if our ongoing conversations happen as a group AND 1:1.

Put their concerns before yours. Address their concerns before yours. This sets the stage for a collaborative change journey; and minimises any potential resistance along the way.