How can you overcome resistance to change when implementing emergency management policies?

Firefighters and EMS workers often resist change, clinging to traditional methods due to their high-stakes roles. Changes in procedures or hierarchy can threaten their status and autonomy, making them wary. New protocols may unsettle experienced staff and shifts in power or job security concerns further fuel resistance. This reluctance is compounded by uncertainty, mistrust in leadership, and unclear benefits of changes. Concerns for colleagues' impact also play a role. Resistance intensifies when changes are implemented without involving those affected, suggesting that including personnel in decision-making could mitigate this issue.

Beginning a change management initiative by engaging key stakeholders through town-hall-style meetings and one-on-one interviews can be helpful in identifying the sources of resistance. The conversations may be focused on: - Understanding the problem or the need for change. - Developing a deeper understanding of the the status quo. - Defining the vision for what the organization looks like in the future. While these conversations should be focused on developing awareness of the issues and garnering support, they also serve as a forum to let people voice concerns. These concerns can highlight the challenges people perceive and allow organizational leaders to develop communication plans that are informed by feedback about specific issues.

It is not uncommon for resistance or reluctance in advancing or adapting emergency preparedness efforts to stem from misunderstanding or simply a lack of deep awareness pertaining to the daily realities experienced by those ‘end users’ who will be carrying out the prescribed actions. This is where emergency managers’ skills in bringing people together and setting the table for what may become uncomfortable/challenging conversations really shine. We are (or should attempt to be) consensus builders. The first step of that process is typically going to be discovering common ground. That can only happen by laying out the points at which our opinions diverge. When we know where we differ, it becomes easier to illuminate where we agree.

Go small. Change requires buy in. What I implemented is first teaching the "older generation" first. A slower pace with more individual attention and detailed explanation of why the change is coming about. Once they fully understand and you have given them some time to process they will often n be the ones to start conversations on the new protocols. They've bought in and so those that look up to those elders will buy in much faster. Want a smooth sailing ship you need to remove some barnacles for a smoother plane.

A massive source of resistance to the implementation of emergency management policies and priorities can be people's own optimism bias. As humans we are wired to generally believe bad things will not happen to us, and we would prefer to think that way. To implement significant change and help people embrace EM from a place of empowerment instead of fear/resistance we have to help people overcome that bias with information, education, and an understanding of legitimate risk.

When leaders begin change management initiatives that impact an organization's or community's emergency management policies, communicating why things need to change and the intended outcomes is essential. One way that I have found to be effective is by framing the change in relation to an external group, whether that is the community or the organization as a whole. An external orientation can mitigate some of the sources of resistance and include using high-profile disasters in other areas of the world to highlight gaps in readiness. Using external events can allow for an objective internal analysis of existing emergency management capabilities or raise awareness for changes in industry practices.

The other piece of this is demonstrating the holistic value of our work. Training people to prepare for an emergency equips them with skills that are invaluable to organizational success including problem solving, forward-thinking, resource management, collaboration, effective communication etc. The global value of investing in emergency management for your organization is not measured by the number of plans you have or the frequency of your trainings...it's about cultivating a culture of resilience that permeates every aspect of your operations.

Henry Ford said “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” We should shout this from the mountaintops when conducting collaborative planning as EMs. Remember, coordination and collaboration are two distinct and equally valuable steps. People are busy and the demands placed on them each day aren’t diminishing. If someone is willing to engage with you, then they are opening up and demonstrating that what you are offering is important to them. Do not waste that opportunity or undervalue that trust. We must actively work to seek out those who will enrich our efforts through the addition of their unique perspectives while also striking a balance that maintains our ability to be productive.

Who those stakeholders are is very important. If your approach to driving EM is only a bottom-up strategy, it will be evident. Buy-in from the top including not just articulated support, but also meaningful investment in staffing, training, and external support, is critical to achieving optimal success for an EM program. EM can't be looked at as a collateral duty for some, it has to be prioritized as a collaborative duty for all.

Emergency managers have many well-developed tools and processes to engage stakeholders when leading change. Emergency managers regularly: - Lead after-action reporting processes to identify what worked well, what didn't, and develop improvement plans to prepare for future incidents. - Lead planning processes that engage executive and operational leaders and memorialize the discussions about the desired end state for the project. - Conduct exercises that bring together internal and external participants and partners that can accomplish a change management project's goals. Each of these events allows emergency managers to engage stakeholders in a meaningful way as they prepare their communities and organizations for disasters.

Leading change management initiatives requires emergency managers to consider both the technical side of the change and the people side of the change when designing training, education, and professional development programs. The Prosci ADKAR framework can help identify where people are navigating from the current state to the desired future state and identify topics that address unmet change management needs: The ADKAR Model includes: - Awareness of the need for change - Desire to participate and support the change - Knowledge of how to change - Ability to demonstrate new skills and behaviors - Reinforcement to sustain the change