What techniques can you use to measure resistance to change in your organization?

If this is the first time you are conducting a staff survey, then preparation is key. My top tips are: 1. Decide if this is a one-off exercise, part of a series (before-during-after a change) or will be repeatedly regularly. This will inform the length and type of questions you'll want to ask and also how you will encourage participation. 2. Limit the number of questions so that it takes 5 minutes (max) to complete. 3. Ask questions you can't easily get answers to by other channels. 4. Pick a few key questions that are consistently included in every survey 5. Question phrasing affects the quality of the answers. Work with an experienced question writer to avoid introducing bias into your survey! 6. Vary answer options and invite comments

AI is a great tool here. Here are a few ways you can leverage AI for your CM work: Predictive Analytics: AI can analyze historical data to predict potential challenges or resistance points during a change initiative. Sentiment Analysis: AI-powered sentiment analysis tools can monitor employee sentiment through surveys, social media, or communication channels. This helps change practitioners gauge the overall mood and sentiment surrounding the change, allowing them to make informed decisions. Data Visualization: AI-driven data visualization tools can help change managers create compelling visual representations of data, making it easier to communicate the need for change and its expected outcomes.

Observation, I would rate #2. This means being in a position to be able to observe your employees - in meetings, chats, employee get-togethers outside of work. Of course, resistance may be hidden from you. You may need to find others to report it anonymously. When there's resistance to change, it's fairly obvious. People become quite, they don't engage, they don't look at you, and a few become hostile and try to through you, or someone they see as on your side, under the bus. Once you see that resistance, it's important not to ignore it. And, if there's enough resistance, maybe this change isn't that important to implement. Maybe you should listen to your employees. Maybe they have a better idea to accomplish what you're seeking.

I would rate Engagement and Participation as #1. Tucson Electric upper management knew that they wanted the company to undergo some changes. They made sure all their employees knew what these changes would be. In the eyes of the upper management these changes would be good for the company and for it's employees. They also knew that some wouldn't like that change. This change was big and they wanted everybody on board. So they offered an easy/early out to those who weren't on board, or wanted to do something different with their life.

In my experience, if someone has lived through a less than successful change process then they are more resistant to the next change programme/s they encounter. Any learnings or debriefs from prior change projects will give any change manager 1) an insight into the historic issues and pitfalls that they can learn from/avoid and 2) identify potential pockets of resistance that may be lying quietly in the wings.

Understanding resistance is a little bit like Schrodingers Cat, if you try to measure it you would have an impact on how people perceive the new thing (a good or a bad one). Also, resistance is usually about how this would impact oneself and what’s in it for them. I recommend: 1. Listen, you would have info and a positive impact on people. 2. Focus on the topic, don’t let that other changes or conflicts have an impact in this change. 3. Convert the strongest dissenters by making common activities/workshops with the strongest promoters. 4. Provide a list of change incentives (role evolution, money, time, work environment…) 5. Provide simple and clear choices and consequences, so people can make a personal plan, help them feel safe.