Overcoming Resistance to Change: Change Management Perspective for Leaders

Progress is impossible without change. Changing with times, market demands, or organizational needs is essential in ensuring that success is long-term.  How come even when everyone around you knows change is necessary- and  amidst the positive winds of transformation, leaders often find themselves grappling with a formidable adversary—Resistance to change.

Overcoming Resistance: Change Management Perspective for Leaders

Resistance to change is simply the act of opposing change, an unwillingness to accept change. It can range from unnoticed subtle negative feelings to outright refusal to work or even in some extreme cases mass quitting. This resistance, if unchecked, can lead to organizations stagnating, tarnished reputations, and Heavy losses.

Leaders implementing change, any kind of change, must understand that people are mostly rational- they will not resist things they know are beneficial to them. The source of this resistance is most often a lack of transparency- If you make people trust you and trust that what you are doing for them is good they will always be on board.

If you are a leader or even a Manager having to implement policy then this piece can be very helpful. We are going to help you with some key strategies and perspectives to change how you approach your implementation strategy. Nothing complicated, nothing fancy just real-world ideas and practices that we know will work!

If you are a leader you must implement large-scale change like a culture change, adapting the work-from-home policy, or even introducing new products- you have to remember that you are a part of a team, you are one person (or a very small majority) of the many who will be affected by such a change. If you listen to the Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, Harvard Business Review, and the European Journal of Education they will tell you that managing resistance to the ultimate goal of no resistance is all about transparency. 

Some common reasons for resistance to change within organizations include interference with need fulfillment, selective perception, habit, inconvenience or loss of freedom, economic implications, fear of the unknown, and threats to power or influence. If leaders take the time to lay out the reasons for any kind of change, people will be much more likely to accept change. Who is involved? WHERE is the change coming from? What is the change? When will it be in effect? and most importantly Lay out the WHY!! If people feel involved in your decision-making and implementation process they will not resist but they will also accept change. Make it a point to lay these out before the change is fully solidified. Have multiple workshops, have a town hall, have one-on-one meetings with employees, and create a positive association with the change. Market the change as for the people. The more touchpoints you have in a changing environment, the less people will be confused.  Remember people only react when you are depriving them of something or threatening something important to them. Fill in the gaps where they may feel fear of failure and lose control. People never want to feel boxed in by a corporate setting and as a leader you have an opportunity to address this when you make change initiatives transparent.

If the changes are related to reskilling, upskilling, or onboarding. Make sure there is no fear of the unknown over and beyond in creating resources to explain the change. Handbooks, guides, courses or even just a 'Q and A' Session. Create or assign 'Change champions' or ambassadors who are trusted members of the workforce community. They will become your advocates and if chosen well, can change the mood surrounding even the most harsh change initiatives.

You might see this list and feel you are being burdened with the responsibility to make change palatable for everyone. We know not all change is positive for everyone and that all change is tough. But as Leaders, you must remember that the backbone of any company is its people, and creating change that is harmful to them will be harmful to you. Leaders do not exist independently of other employees. Often times just creating positive feelings around change is beneficial. if you are unable to involve employees in the decision-making, change must be introduced slowly and correctly to create that positive impact. Like change with raises, lifestyle benefits, improved office environment, merchandise, and physical rewards, or anything that they can link to with emotions of joy, excitement, and interest. 

Keep in mind resistance to change is your biggest enemy- not the people resisting. Be transparent and be inclusive in change practices. Don't treat these as guidelines but as a shift in mentality for how you should approach them. No single method is correct or wrong but these are ways to make sure you have a better conversion rate than the measly 34% success of other organizations change initiates.