Facing pushback from senior leadership on training changes. How will you overcome their resistance?

Es muy común que debamos persuadir de manera muy efectiva a la alta dirección ante una necesidad por ejemplo de formación o desarrollo de perfiles de colaboradores. El primer paso será encontrar información concreta y relevante que ayude a comprender el motivo de la toma de decisión y no frustrarse si en el primer intentó no se logró el objetivo. Si realmente es necesario e importante debemos seguir insistiendo estratégicamente.

Before diving headfirst into defending the changes, hit the pause button. Why? Because understanding where the resistance is coming from can be a game-changer. Is it fear of the unknown? Concerns about cost? Time constraints? Use neuroscience here—mirror neurons are your friends. When you genuinely listen, senior leaders will feel understood and are more likely to open up.

To address pushback from senior leadership on training changes, the professional would start by understanding their concerns and perspectives. They would schedule a meeting to discuss the rationale behind the changes, ensuring that they listen to the leadership's viewpoints and acknowledge any valid worries they may have. It's crucial to align the training goals with the organization's strategic objectives so the HR professional can clearly articulate how these changes will benefit the company as a whole, including improving employee performance, engagement, and, ultimately, business outcomes.

When facing pushback from senior leadership on training changes, approach the situation with empathy and data-driven insights. Start by understanding their concerns and framing your proposals in a way that aligns with their strategic goals. Use concrete examples and metrics to demonstrate the potential impact and benefits of the changes. Engage in open dialogue and be ready to adjust your plan based on their feedback. By showing that you value their perspective and are committed to mutual success, you’re more likely to gain their support and drive the change effectively.

Address the concerns of senior leadership and involve them in finding solutions if there were initiatives that were proposed that might be optimal.

Now that you’ve listened, it’s time to speak their language—ROI, efficiency, and productivity. Show how these training changes are not just beneficial but essential for long-term growth. Neuroscience backs this up: people are more motivated by potential gains than by avoiding losses. Paint a vivid picture of the positive impact.

Point out ways that training changes will have a long term positive impact on the leaders/managers themselves as well as the employees/teams. Focus on specific outcomes ie, increased satisfaction leading to enhanced work productivity, creative and innovative problem-solving and broader benefits for the company that would involve a shift that could be significant for everyone at the organization.

More than the benefits here is all about the frequent communication. The more that you get in touch with them, the better the response will be. Your credibility and support will be done more on your connection and trust rather than in the numbers.

Alright, we’ve got the benefits covered, but what’s the proof? Dive into case studies, pilot program results, and hard data that demonstrate the effectiveness of your proposed changes. People love stories—especially ones with a happy ending—so weave in examples from your work.

Offer datasets, graph possible increases in production, and stakeholder success. Research other companies growth data given similar training changes both quantitative and qualitative that will provide a track record of potential success for your company.

Data, facts and figures are pivotal to gain senior leadership buy in, and rightfully so. Often direct ROI for training initiatives can be difficult to quantify. However, there is substantial data and case studies available for most industries in terms of the long term cost benefits of effective training programs. It is important to include data directly connected to how the training may improve functional and operational aspects such as safety (fewer accidents), reduced errors, improved customer service, and so forth. It can also be beneficial to include data concerning how effective training and development improves employee growth, retention and engagement. All of which have direct financial and sustainability implications.

Por tudo que eu já estudei e por todas minhas experiências profissionais, eu n?o acredito que grandes mudan?as possam ser implementadas de modo eficiente sem serem antes testadas em pequena escala dentro da própria organiza??o. O clássico problema do planejamento é n?o incluir a vis?o daqueles que dever?o executar o plano. Isto pode ser amenizado ao se implementar um programa piloto, em um determinado setor que seja fundamental para o sucesso da implementa??o das mudan?as de treinamento desejadas. A vis?o da equipe que implementar o programa/projeto de mudan?as é fundamental. E a sua opini?o quanto ao modo como está sendo implementado será fator fundamental para o trabalho.

It’s like a “try before you buy” but for leadership training. This way, the risk feels minimal, and the potential rewards can be observed firsthand. Plus, it shows you’re confident enough in the changes to put them to the test. Offer to personally oversee the pilot. Your hands-on approach can be the difference between a hesitant “maybe” and a confident “yes.”

Suggest a small project that would spear head a larger initiative in changing training protocols. And then track the progress of varying team members. If the datasets provide a strong indicator for success implement the project with several teams first and then collectively throughout the organization.

It's important to include and share the learner's perspective on needs and changes, not just those of senior leadership. I once led a learning organization where some business units wanted training delivered exclusively in person to support the personal connection and culture. While this is important, numerous employees shared that they appreciated not having to travel into the office for training, and very much wanted the ability to take training online or listen to podcast-like training on the way to a job site. Offering different delivery options is effective, efficient, and respects the different needs of individuals while bridging the differing views on change among various leaders and those who are trained.

This is key. Involving them across all the steps during the process will secure a good understanding, support, and response from them. They are costumers, they better than anyone else know what is going on, so collaborating with them should not be an option, it is a must to have.

A good Idea would be to Foster Collaboration and build consensus, the professional might offer to pilot the changes on a smaller scale or implement them gradually, allowing leadership to see the results before fully committing. They would also be open to feedback and willing to make adjustments based on leadership's input. By showing flexibility and a commitment to collaboration, the professional would aim to reduce resistance and gain support for the training initiatives.