You're facilitating a session with skeptical stakeholders. How can you build trust in the benefits of change?
When facilitating a session with doubtful stakeholders, it's crucial to demonstrate the value of change convincingly. To navigate this challenge:
- Start by actively listening to their concerns and acknowledging their skepticism as valid.
- Provide clear evidence and case studies that illustrate the positive outcomes of similar changes.
- Establish open lines of communication for ongoing dialogue and feedback throughout the process.
How do you approach building trust with stakeholders who are resistant to change?
You're facilitating a session with skeptical stakeholders. How can you build trust in the benefits of change?
When facilitating a session with doubtful stakeholders, it's crucial to demonstrate the value of change convincingly. To navigate this challenge:
- Start by actively listening to their concerns and acknowledging their skepticism as valid.
- Provide clear evidence and case studies that illustrate the positive outcomes of similar changes.
- Establish open lines of communication for ongoing dialogue and feedback throughout the process.
How do you approach building trust with stakeholders who are resistant to change?
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You don't. You engage the stakeholders in the activities and actively listen to what they are saying so that their voice is heard. In the process, they will define the change along with its benefits. That will build trust in the process and in the change.
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Start by showing empathy to understand their concerns and validating their perspectives. Sometimes you find that the skepticism is fear-based. So by being empathetic, that can help to build trust. Additionally, be transparent also about the rationale for the change, providing clear evidence and examples of similar successful initiatives. Also focus on demonstrating quick, tangible wins that align with their interests to build confidence.
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My dissertation research found that jadedness is actually latent hope: when people have tried and failed at changing something in the past, they seek to protect themselves from future pain, but they are just waiting to be given a reason to hope again. Don't lean "out" from these people...lean IN! Let them voice their concerns. Understand what barriers or roadblocks prevented them from being successful in the past. Let them voice their hesitations and validate their skepticism. Then engage them in solution building. Most importantly, ensure that the leaders are 100% committed to making change happen.
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Being in this situation shows that the groundwork is not done properly, which is about interviewing stakeholders and contributors and make sure you are all aligned on the purpose and desired outcome of the session. If I were in this situation I would probably acknowledge it, ask for permission to pivot the session around, and use it to explore the resistance from different angels.
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Why would I even facilitate a session with skeptical stakeholders and expect them to embrace change? Clearly, we'd want to ensure they're open to it before wasting everyone's time. Without that, it's like planting seeds in concrete and hoping for a forest—optimistic at best, futile at worst!
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