12 evidence-based strategies to shift from resistance to commitment during transformational change.

As a management consultant, I constantly look for theories, frameworks, and tools to increase engagement and manage resistance during transformational change.?

One of the best ones I discovered when I was doing the Master of Science in Coaching Psychology is Self-Determination Theory (SDT).?

SDT is a psychological theory of human motivation and personality that focuses on how individuals can achieve growth, well-being, and personal fulfillment.?

It states that individuals have three innate psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.?

• Autonomy refers to the need for control and independence over decisions.?
• Competence refers to the need for mastery and effectiveness at work.?
• Relatedness refers to the need for social connection and belonging.?

Why is this important??

Understanding and applying this theory can help you bring your team and key stakeholders on a journey more effectively, increasing engagement and retention and reducing resistance to change.?

How can you apply SDT in the workplace??

1. Autonomy?

Autonomy in the workplace allows employees to make decisions, take ownership of their work, and use their skills and creativity to solve complex problems.?

It leads to increased job satisfaction, motivation, and productivity.?

It also fosters a sense of trust and respect between employees, which can improve work relationships and overall work culture.?

Increasing autonomy?

• Review your to-do list.

See what you can let your team drive from the list.

• Up-skill the team to manage work as projects and let your team members pick the tasks they want to lead or be involved in.?
• Let your team optimize the working environment.?

What adjustments can we make to the current environment to be the best we can be??

• Schedule regular check-ins to ensure your team members/stakeholders are comfortable with their autonomy level.?

Too much autonomy can reduce their sense of competence as they may not know what to do to complete a specific task or goal.?

You can use Csíkszentmihályi's Flow Model (below) to assess where they are.

2. Competence?

A sense of competence refers to a person's belief in their ability to perform tasks successfully and achieve their goals.?

It encompasses confidence, self-efficacy, and mastery of one's abilities and skills.?

A strong sense of competence can lead to increased motivation, engagement, and overall satisfaction in one's personal and professional life.?

Increasing competence

• Accelerate the feedback loop.?

In most businesses, feedback is not as frequent as it could be.?

You can provide feedback every day, every meeting.?

Note: remember that you are sharing a perspective, not the truth when providing feedback.??

• Acknowledge progress and recognize team members who are tackling challenging/stretch goals.?

There are different ways to recognize staff members.?

Some may not like public recognition, while others may appreciate it.?

Recognition does not require monetary compensation. See what your team members value and customize the approach to their needs.?

• Let your team see the "dark side" of competence.?

We compromise on resilience and adaptability in the long run by staying comfortable.??

Growth and learning require us to be a bit "incompetent" for a while.?

• Discuss stretch goals every week in your team meetings.?

You can improve performance and accelerate growth by focusing on stretch goals consistently.?

However, you will need "systems" in place to keep the team operating at optimal levels of stress, avoiding burnout.?

Yerkes–Dodson law (adapted) can help you monitor stress levels. See the below

• Focus on skill development and application (vs career moves).

What skills can they develop and apply in the next 12 months to implement initiatives that move the needle??

You can make a plan with them and split key outcomes into 90-day cycles to upskill in multiple areas.?

3. Building relatedness?

Relatedness refers to the sense of connection and belonging that individuals experience in their relationships.?

It involves feeling supported, understood, and valued by others and connected to a larger community or group.?

This sense of relatedness can positively impact mental health, providing individuals with a sense of security, comfort, and belonging.?

Increasing relatedness

• Invest time in developing a shared vision with your team and key stakeholders.

Discuss how they can contribute to bringing the vision to life and agree on the key commitments that will drive alignment during change.?

There is value in unpacking personal stories and anecdotes and exploring how previous experiences, learnings, knowledge, and skills can support the team moving forward.?

• Co-design and constantly optimize the culture in your team.?

Let your team create the ways of working (this will increase autonomy too).?

This is critical to establishing clear boundaries and commitments for change. Without discussing the ways of working upfront, it's hard to manage expectations and align different perspectives.?

Key focus areas may include vision, values, purpose, priorities, behaviors, rituals, rules, ways of working, decision-making, and how to manage meetings, among others.?

Note: culture is complex. Feel free to reach out if you need a template or a framework to make it tangible.

• Focus on dialogue to develop shared understandings.?

The quality of the conversations determines the quality of the relationships and business outcomes.?

Shift from discussion and debate to generative dialogue to develop shared perspectives.

Driving alignment across team members will help you navigate conflict and tensions more effectively.

Tensions, conflict, and uncertainty are inevitable in large, complex organizations. Reframe them to see them as opportunities and valuable feedback people can use to increase impact during change.?

What's your favorite strategy?

What can you implement today?