R3 - Resisting the Resistant Resistor!
Verb, adjective and noun – which sends the greater shockwave through the mind of the change practitioner? Why is the change facilitator only called in to help the organization, when the “R” word noticed? What is the big deal here with the “R” word?
I will begin this post with a confession – I resist resistance. Oh great, what the heck does that mean! I hear you moan, but just persevere with my thought process here and indulge my journey in words…
Let’s go back to school! This is what we learn.
- Change 101 – People resist change
- Change 201 – People don’t resist change they resist the consequences of the change
- Change 301 – Not everyone resists change and its not a fixed space.
In other words, we overly generalize when we first learn about the resistance word, starting our understanding in a straightforward manner, but we gain a deeper understanding of the change space we connect with the deeper meanings around the fluidity of such statements. We realise its not as straightforward and understand it changes over time, circumstance and its not the same for everyone – a bit like change itself!
Ponder upon this for a moment – What if we replace resist in the above and use respond(s) to in its place?
Read the full blog post here:
This article is part of the 2019 #ChangeBlogChallenge on the topic of Change Resistance in Quarter 1. Click here to see what other change thinkers say about this topic.
OCM/OD/OE Consultant, Leadership Coaching, High-Performing Teams, Digital Transformation and Culture Change
6 年Wish there were a "LOVE" response!? You know what I think about labeling people as resistant!??
Executive Leadership Coach | DiSC & 5 Behaviors of a Cohesive Team - Wiley Authorized Partner, Org. Change Consultant
6 年I think of that "R" as standing for RISK, not Resistance. People who are resisting see a risk inherent in the change that others don't. It may be an individual risk ("Might I lose my job?") or it may be that they have more insight into the negative impact of the change that the leader has not considered. We should pay better attention either way. Thanks, Rich Batchelor
Corporate Coach | Business Change Facilitator | Project Manager | Improving Student Experiences & Champion for Social Mobility at King's College London | My views are my own
6 年Great article for change navigators. I like the positive focus from resistance management to response management. Abigail Kingsland, you’ll enjoy this.
Successfully transitioned through the change to happy retirement!
6 年I don’t believe that people naturally resist change. However, we all have a reaction to it - sometimes positive, sometimes negative (think David Rock’s SCARF model) depending on our individual perspective. It’s when those reactions aren’t considered that resistance can eventuate. Effective change management applied early, along with sound change leadership that considers and respects the internal reaction to change, can and does reduce the implications of a negative reaction down the track.
Organizational Development/ Strategic Storytelling/Change and Transformation/ Agile Coach and Scrum Master
6 年Good perspective!