Influencing Change

Following last week's discussion on Change and why it doesn't stick, I will move from the organizational challenges to the human aspect of why it doesn't.

At Forrest & Company, we have had extensive experience with change because, in all cases, we engage with our clients closely to help them move from a current state to a future desired end-state that helps create great workplaces.

So, to the personal side of change.

Like every human being, I have my own experiences with change. I have included endeavouring to change things for the better in my personal life. Yet, even when I logically know something is better for me, I still do the bad things. I am sure you can relate to having that piece of chocolate cake, or watching that movie instead of going to bed, or that other glass of wine as typical examples.

At Forrest, we talk about anaklesis as a form of resistance to change. Anaklesis is our need to lean on our old beliefs and experiences. It is our comfort zone. Change disrupts our old ways and creates tension between where we are and where we want to get. In an effort to escape that tension, it is a very natural condition for us to resist change.

So, if we can rationally see the need for change and yet don't gravitate towards it, what is going on? It is all about the nature of our desires and motivation. Motivation is the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. If we expect others to accept a change, they must be motivated to do so. Motivation is complex, just as we as human beings are complex -- no two employees think the same way.

If anaklesis is present, or the personal motivation isn't immediately there, how do you inspire someone to act in a way if they will not necessarily do it themselves?

The golden rule of leadership is to know your people and promote their welfare. This is key in the change; you must know their motivations and desires. Some ways to influence people towards a change are:

• Set clear context on why the change is important
• Show the value to them, in other words "what is in it for them"
• Link the change to making something better and improving conditions
• Listen and respond with empathy to their words and, more importantly, feelings
• Create a picture of the desired future state for all to see
• Inspire others with your personal example
• Keep talking, discussing, and, more importantly, listening
• Most importantly, think through and plan the change and how others may respond to it

The people will determine if a change works or not, so you need to muster all the efforts of all your managers to exercise leadership and lead people through the change. It is no good to assume that they will accept the change just because of the pay cheque. They need the human touch. Managerial Leaders are the change agents of the organization, and they have to connect with their people thoroughly.

Change is closely linked to our current VUCA world. In this Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous world we need managerial leaders who will plan and think through the change in detail, and those who practice the ABC2:

• Always Be Communicating
• Always Be Caring