What do you do if your career is at stake due to resistance to change?

While change is often met with resistance as it mostly comes with a fear of unknown, it is important to assess change and its consequences: - Why are you resisting change? Is it more emotional or rational? - How is the change going to impact your work in short, medium and long term? What are the positive and negative consequences of this change? - What are your USPs that you could leverage in these times? Often the senior management initiating the change would like team members to come on board and support with implementing the change. - Is it possible to discuss how you feel about this change initiative with your co-workers/ management to get a more realistic view? Do others share/ do not share your sentiments?

Assessing reality in a situation where our career is at stake due to resistance to change involves taking a clear and objective look at several key factors. We evaluate the current state of affairs in our organization. What specific changes are being proposed or implemented, and what is the level of resistance among employees or stakeholders?

Usually when you find yourself resisting change it's because you've entered your comfort zone on your current assignment or in your role. Routine is nice but innovation and growth both for you and your employer comes from being uncomfortable sometimes and not from remaining static. The same goes for workout routines- doing the same thing each time gets boring for you and the body and you don't progress. So I think a self-reflected realization of whether you've become "too comfortable" is the first reflective step to take. Then embrace the change as a challenge!

Seeking feedback is a crucial step in navigating a situation where your career is at stake due to resistance to change. We need to determine who the key stakeholders are in the change process, including supervisors, colleagues, team members, and anyone else who may be impacted by the proposed changes. We pay close attention to what stakeholders are saying, acknowledge their perspectives, and avoid interrupting or dismissing their concerns.

Educating yourself is vital when facing resistance to change that jeopardizes your career. We need to take the time to thoroughly understand the proposed changes and the rationale behind them. For e.g. what are the objectives of the change, and how do they align with the organization's goals and vision? Understanding the context will help us to communicate effectively with others and address their concerns.

When I find myself resistance to change, it is usually because of the unknown. I am afraid of the variables I cannot control or have little knowledge of. To overcome this, I invest time in learning the why of the need for change. Change is like a puzzle sometimes when all pieces are not put together it's hard to see the full picture. Through educating myself, I can put more pieces together and see the big picture.

Creating a plan to address resistance to change and safeguard our career involves several key steps. We can effectively address resistance to change and navigate challenges in our career while positioning ourselves for success.

Building support is essential for overcoming resistance to change and safeguarding your career. We need to identify individuals or groups who are critical influencers or directly impacted by the proposed changes. This may include colleagues, supervisors, team members, clients, or other relevant parties.

I would psyche up myself by asking what can go right by accepting the new challenge. I will seek out a coach to help me get clarity of what my fear is for me to seek out solutions for my fear of change. A mentor to work and prepare me for the new challenge. A list of my current skills that can be immediately transferable to the new challenge while will seek mentor’s help for the new skills required. Once i have the list of shortcoming in term of skillset, go for upgrade. Apply adult learning methodology of learning by doing, seek my immediate superior’s help in coaching to reflect, deduce new insights of the new job. Lastly seek help from the team, use team coaching to gain new insights.

I would actually start by getting to the root of the resistance to change. What are the fears or emotions that are creating a resistance to begin with. Then, begin looking at how to align and integrate intelligences to move out of resistance.