A Change for the Better

I pulled the picture above from deep out of the archives to illustrate a simple point. Change is good! I liked this style at the time. Frankly, I miss the spikes every now and then. But to be fair, my hair is not as thick as it used to be. Even if I wanted to hold on to the past and try to bring this style back …it ain’t gonna happen. That, and I love being married to Amárillys. So, there’s that. Some people go for decades with the same hairstyle, and it works for them. Some keep the style of their locks even when everyone in the world around them is begging them to make a change. Amárillys and I used to watch a show called What Not to Wear. If you’re not familiar, people would nominate someone they loved that needed a major overhaul of their clothing, hair, and often makeup.

One of the most intriguing parts of the show in my opinion was when someone had a hairstyle that was trapped in another century and the person was so resistant to change it. There would often be very emotional scenes where just the thought of a change sent the individual into a state of panic, fear, or ended in a burst of tears. The struggle was real. This article is not about hair and makeup, but it’s a great metaphor for embracing changes that come in life. ? Some changes we realize are necessary with the times, but sometimes change is forced upon us. Learning to embrace and adapt to change in the world today is perhaps one of the greatest skills we can develop. People often struggle with change, despite its inevitability in both personal and professional spheres. So why is it so hard? Here are seven well documented reasons why people are resistant to change in their personal or professional life. I challenge you to get out a notepad and pen and score yourself on how many of these are true for you.

1. Fear of the unknown: One of the primary reasons people resist change is the fear of uncertainty. A study by the American Psychological Association found that 49% of Americans reported feeling uneasy about major life changes. ? This apprehension stems from the comfort of familiar routines and the anxiety associated with potential negative outcomes of change. Fear of the unknown is a thief that lives in the recesses of your subconscious mind. This thief must be rooted out and dealt with.

2. Loss of control: Change often involves relinquishing control over established processes or environments. A survey conducted by McKinsey & Company revealed that 70% of change initiatives fail, largely due to employee resistance. This statistic underscores the significant impact of perceived loss of control on the success of organizational transformations. In business, this can signal the beginning of the demise of a company that once thought their revenue was the sure sign that they were doing things right. The truth is the old ways may have been right for a season. However, thriving in a rapidly changing landscape of technology and a global economy may require innovative new methods and policies that require losing control of what was once productive. An unwillingness to relinquishing control in our personal lives is often the primary cause of getting stuck in our ways, unable to adapt, grow, and mature into a better version of ourselves.

3. Threat to status quo: Many people are comfortable with existing processes and routines, making them reluctant to disrupt the stability of their current situation. ?

They will stay in relationships, careers, cities, and faulty mindsets that don’t serve them because it’s just easier to stay the same.

4. Inadequate communication: When people don't understand the need for change, they're more likely to oppose it. Insufficient communication about the reasons for and benefits of change can lead to resistance. A study by Prosci, a change management research firm, found that 65% of employees prefer to receive information about organizational changes from their immediate supervisor. When leadership fails to effectively convey the rationale behind changes, it can result in confusion and opposition. ? This is deadly for companies. But it can also be deadly for your personal life. When people in your life excuse, coddle, or ignore bad behaviors, attitudes, and belief systems because of fear communicating it to you… that’s a big problem. You may become completely unaware of the toxic impact you have on others. We need people that will communicate the truth to us, preferably in a loving way, but truthful nonetheless.

5. Personal factors: Individual personality traits, values, and past experiences can influence how people respond to change. Some may find change conflicts with their personal identity or preferred ways of working. Much like #3, it’s just too easy to stay the same.

6. Poorly aligned reward systems: People may resist change when they don't see any personal benefits or rewards associated with it. This is especially true in a corporate culture, but it can be true in your personal life as well. If you think something is not worth the effort, you will not expend the necessary energy and focus to enact change.

If your WHY isn’t big enough, the what and the how don’t matter.

7. Peer pressure: In the corporate world, organizational stakeholders might resist change to protect the interests of their group or colleagues. ? I guarantee you have also seen this at play many times with people that get stuck in their peer groups. It has been said many times you are the product of the 5 people you spend the most time with. I believe that is 100% accurate! I’ve witnessed people that subsist on gossip, worrying, and having a victim mentality. They see the world the same way, speak the same words, have the same attitudes, and experience the same miserable results in life.

Their circumstances are someone else’s fault. Those that break away from their influence and succeed in life are often cast as selfish, too good for everyone, or become targets for supplying handouts because they owe the “less fortunate” something. Positive peer pressure is a catalyst for change. It says, “We can be better”.

My encouragement this week is for you to engage in a healthy evaluation of how well you embrace the changes that have occurred or need to occur in your life. If you discover one of the 7 reasons for resistance is keeping you stuck, make a courageous decision to get unstuck!

And as you do, live BigBoldBrave!

~ Clint

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