The Main Obstacle to Change is ...

You just land into a new job and you are supposed to make some changes.

Based on your 2 decades and more of experience, you already spotted the needed modifications, organization, sizing, people, processes, and so on. Therefore you can act quickly about it.

Nevertheless, any set of changes goes with a plan and step one is to identify the peoples' potential attitude towards it.

You have:

1. Early adopters: those are fully aware of the needed changes and will be beneficial. They are key to kick off your plan (catalyst). (5% - 10%)
2. The late adopters: those are not aware of the need for change and might either turn into supporters or resistant. They are the vast majority, therefore your plan's success depends on how good you will be to flip them on your side. (90% - 80%)
3. The opponents: they know or will soon that they will be negatively impacted by your changes and will resist actively. (5% - 10%)

Each group needs a different approach and all has to be quick:

1. Promote: place the early adopters, whatever their current positions, in the group in charge of running the plan which has to be managed like any other project.
2. Influence: spend a lot of time (I mean really a lot) talking to this group, take any argument and respond in details collectively, be humble, there are probably a lot of details you ignore at that stage and they will tell you. As time goes by, most will adopt the change, immediately assign them to the project. Keep spending time with the remaining indecisive group.
3. Separate and treat: this last group may have real valid arguments and that's why my question in the headline was all about: the main resistance to change is.... you !! If you want your changes to be successful AND DURABLE, you need to talk one on one with each person and debate on pros and cons of the change. If you privilege speed of execution vs. dialogue, 2 things will happen:

• You will fire the opponents and remove the blockade and disruption they cause, gain speed in the short term but...
• You will flip many people of group 2, the late adopters, into group 3 and, since you cannot maintain the effort of convincing them all, loose support and group. Your plan is doomed to fail in the medium term.

As a conclusion, keep in mind what Sun TZU and Michael CORLEONE said "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

The main reason for change failure is your inability to identify and listen to your opponents. They have something to teach you. Keep in mind you do not and will never know everything.

More read:

• The Best Organization in the World
• What is Management Added Value ?
• On purchasing organization

Do not hesitate to contact me if you need advice or help. Cheers !