How can you identify the sources of change resistance?

A very simple way to identify resistance to change is to follow the mantra of "ask, don't tell" - but if I ask you how you are feeling, you need to know that I will treat what you tell me with respect and that I will act on it. In my experience, the majority of change professionals expect resistance, so we do not demonise those that push back against the requests for change. BUT.... we do not do enough to ensure there is a responsive feedback loop. If someone has taken the time to share their concerns, we need to acknowledge and reply, but also capture what they are telling us, so we can assess this feedback for trends and use feedback from the minority prepared to speak up to proactively address concerns from the majority who stay silent.

One important thing that got missed here is : Human cognition has evolved to include the status-quo bias. Understanding the impact of diversity within a team is critical to even perceive the root cause of change resistance in an individual, let alone understand it. Take an example of individuals who identify as female but biologically are males. If there is a change that challenges some aspects of their formed beliefs, it's really hard for even good leaders to address their concern without really understanding the diversity rubrics within a team. To reduce psychological resistance, the leader must operate in the most emotionally intelligent way possible, mindful of the diversity.

Identifying sources of change resistance is crucial for managing organizational transitions. Common factors include lack of communication, fear of the unknown, loss of control, perceived competence, past negative experiences, cultural misalignment, inadequate involvement, perceived unfairness, loss of job security, overwhelm and change fatigue, unclear benefits, organizational politics, personal impact, inadequate resources, leadership style, and cognitive dissonance. Addressing these early on can help leaders and change agents tailor strategies for successful change adoption.

Kultur der Kommunikation hilft, Widerst?nde gegen Ver?nderungen zu verstehen und zu überwinden. Ein gemeinsames Verst?ndnis unserer Vision, gepaart mit Vertrauen und Wertsch?tzung, hilft, psychologische Hürden zu überwinden. Ver?nderungen l?sen oft Angst aus. Mit offener, respektvoller Kommunikation schaffen wir eine Atmosph?re, in der sich unsere Gemeinschaft verstanden und wertgesch?tzt fühlt. Dies erm?glicht es uns, besser mit den emotionalen und kognitiven Herausforderungen von Ver?nderungen umzugehen und eine positive Einstellung zu f?rdern. Diese Kultur der Kommunikation basiert auf: - gegenseitiger Wertsch?tzung - gemeinsamen Zielen, - und Vertrauen.

6 common reasons for resistance to change Lack of trust. One reason for resistance to change is a lack of trust in the leadership team or the company as a whole. ... Poor communication. ... Emotional response. ... Fear of failure. ... Surprises. ... Constant change.

Organizations with less hierarchical structure witness more resistance however it is more about bringing clarity and such changes are long term, embedded in the organization policies and process. On the other hand, autocratic or hierarchical structures face less resistance as people fear for their job. They could face consequences if show even positive resistance to get clarity however when the leadership changes, they go back to the old practices.

It's important to evaluate your organization and people to determine what your change strategy needs to be. We encourage customers to assess specific challenges so the change execution focuses on addressing the areas likely to derail engagement. That assessment can lead to a mix of psychological factors (fear, doubt, sabotage), but can also determine individualized areas to address. Look at your best people and evaluate their needs to make them most effective. If executive leadership doesn't foster a culture of communication in the organization, develop ways to foster that communication. Only once you understand the specific areas of focus for your organization can you ensure you're addressing the problems that lead to change challenges.

A big organisational factor can be the lack of trust in the leadership -- if this is missing, why would anyone want to jump into the change? "Mission/vision/values" may only be empty slogans that few people in the organization believe (do you know your organization's vision and mission?). To overcome this, the leadership would have to earn trust, not something that can be achieved quickly, but even the effort of doing so would attract positive attention.

Change in any form brings resistance when it is enforced. It creates psychological resistance and effects both work culture and performance. To overcome organizational resistance people should be communicated, encouraged & trained to face change. Leaders must develop the spirit of synergy in functional & cross functional teams with the courage & conviction to accommodate change. Change enforced is always a resistance. Preparing team for collective contribution with synergy can lead to success.

I do not agree with the creation of a sense of urgency as a solution to change resistance. It's the root cause of why change management would be required in the first place. I agree with the rewarding construct and addressing the risks and costs of change.

Resistance is rarely about the actual change. It may be about the timing of the change, if people have too much work and not enough resources. It could be the delivery methodology; they don't want to do six hours of online learning. Change Managers can easily mitigate change resistance for most things, that's what they are there for. That is their skill. But when the real resistance is their kid just got suspended, their husband is having an affair and the dog got run over. You can't do much about that, except listen, and remember it's not about your change.

People often resist change due to their existing mental models and underlying assumptions. It can be a protective mechanism, as individuals fear the unknown or worry about potential risks associated with change. Additionally, existing organizational culture and norms create a systemic inertia, making it challenging for individuals to adapt quickly. Human behaviour tends to seek stability, and any perceived threat to that stability can trigger resistance. Furthermore, systemic issues like poor communication or inadequate training can contribute to resistance. If the organisation doesn’t effectively convey the reasons for change or provide the necessary tools for adaptation, people are more likely to resist change.

Emotional intelligence of a leader who is bringing in the change matters a lot in this area. Timing and the way a change is communicated to an individual are two most primary factors that are directly proportional to individual resistance. I agree that the communication should be tailored for an individual. While it sounds too theoretical, it is very effectively practiced by emotionally intelligent leaders.

What I find effective in navigating resistance to change is emphasizing what is NOT changing. Sometimes we become overly focused on what IS changing. To make sure there’s a level engagement around the changes, re-state and re-emphasize what remains the same. For individuals this offers a sense of grounding especially when it involves things beyond their control. After I have given a sense of what remains the same, then we can talk about the order in which changes will occur and importantly how to signal challenges with the changes. No matter how early or often we talk about changes, it’s necessary to revisit them once they are underway.

People with a dynamic leader always feel safe and contribute collectively on any mission. Without having effective leadership people feel isolated and insecure when change occurs. In that case they loose confidence, trust and self efficacy. To manage effectively organizations need dynamic leaders to encourage, train and motivate people to collectively contribute for change.

In a supply chain, change may require you to work with your suppliers. The natural question is what would be in it for them. For instance, when implementing RFID (essentially electronic 'bar codes'), it was clear that the benefits would go to the focal company while the costs would have to be borne by the suppliers. Why would a supplier be enthusiastic about such a change, even if it were forced upon them? A company would have to share costs and benefits transparently.

A better planning will definitely help reduce the environmental factors. Like including stakeholders in discussions. I agree with the solution provided here.

In my experience, change is always painful & resisted. Nobody likes to come out of the comfort zones. However, as a Manager, you can overcome resistance in a way that your team supports your decision. This is how I did; - Involve the team in decision making - Providing them full information - Transparent communication - Pros and Cons of the change, highlighting the business benefits - Ensuring every diverse voice is heard - Including them in setting up the change management process - Connecting on personal level to remove any psychological doubts - Focus the team on the bigger picture I have managed transformation & changes simply by respecting the thoughts of others, soliciting feedback and encouraging ideas.

One thing I have found helpful, ? Genuinely admitting the reasons for CHANGE and seeking employees help/support to achieve the goals/vision/mission of the company o Causes for the current state of progress o Metrics/data reflecting the Impact ? Clarity in communication o Stating the facts/issues clearly o Set time bound ‘short & long term’ goals with clear action items o Define the measurable & expected results ? Frequent follow up sessions/meetings on ‘how the actions are helping the progress o Meet with senior experts more frequently o Ask their support to cascade down the communication to the teams o Share the progress small or big to the teams & ensure the required support to employees/stakeholders/customers accordingly

Cultivate a resilient organizational culture and that will make it easy for changes to occur. Change in itself is hard but once people are already equipped with the tools and resources they are better able to navigate changes. Remember, the organizations is the people and once the impact on the people is priority then it makes introducing and implementing change manageable.

Resistance to change can be intrinsic/internal, and/or external. External generally being the easier to identify. There are points to consider that may not automatically come to mind as being resistance: - People pleasing (be mindful and observant of words vs. actions) - Missing meetings, workshops, and collaboration sessions (sometimes people ARE genuinely busy, other times apathetic, or in a threat state) - Push back with no clear feedback/reason: this tends to happen when people are feeling uncomfortable with change (a normal phenomena, check out immunity to change, the immunity X-ray, Lisa Lahey), though they haven't tapped into their introspection to know where the discomfort is coming from, and project their discomfort outwards.

Most changes have an upside and a downside. What is the "best" now, was not the best in the past and will probably not be the best in the future. When we focus just on the upside/benefits we can create division. Instead acknowledge upsides and downsides and explain why we choose this position at this time. Have conversations about how we can maintain the upside of the past/today as well as having the upside of where we want to be.