Biggest threat to implementing change remains overcoming resistance to it
Biggest threat to implementing change remains overcoming resistance to it
In order to cope with the demands of current business, it is inevitable that one must be open to change. To implement needed changes, businesses develop strategic plans, identify process or product changes, restructure their organizations, hire new people, etc. Much energy is put into planning or designing the change, but more times than not these plans end up in a binder on a shelf, never to be looked at again. Sometimes people admit failure and just give up because implementing the change is too hard. A lot of energy is put into planning and talking about change, but many times not enough energy is put into following through or working to overcome resistance to the change.
Planning and design are necessary tools for change, but alone they are not sufficient. The No. 1 enemy to making any changes at work is “business as usual.” Because we are human beings, we are creatures of habit, and the habits we have learned are hard to break. Failure to look at this enemy of change undermines the change process every time. The principle from learning theory that influences the ability to bring about change is that of “state dependent learning” or memory. This principle states learning that occurs in one situation or state is more likely to be remembered later in a similar situation or state. Remember when you thought you understood material for a test when you studied at home, but as soon as you got in the classroom you couldn’t remember any of it? That is an example of state dependent learning.
What implication does this principle have for making changes at work? It means that typical offsite retreats or trainings, often designed to help individuals plan “out of the box” solutions and changes may generate a lot of energy at the time, but these changes are often forgotten or minimally implemented when people return to the “box,” the “office” or the structures of work with which they are familiar.
The trappings of work, that is the physical settings, the schedules, meetings, phone calls, e-mail messages, and even the forms, automatically trigger “business as usual.” When an employee returns to this setting, it is almost as if they are programmed to do what they have always done in that setting. Implementing change at work is very difficult for many reasons. Talking about the change is not enough. There are several things that can help in the planning process. A key factor is rehearsing what it will be like to implement these changes at work. First of all,
• Acknowledge that resistance to change is to be expected.
The familiar is comfortable. It takes a conscious decision of leadership to move a group to adopt new behaviors. Change will not be automatic.
• Identify barriers to change at work ahead of time.
Brainstorm what these barriers are likely to be and identify coping strategies for dealing with them.
• Generate “buy-in” for upcoming changes.
Don’t allow your change process to be purely driven from the “top.”
Involve key persons with decision-making power in the change planning process.
• Build in a follow-up action plan to implementing change.
This should include steps to be taken, people responsible, timelines, feedback/evaluation procedures, revisions, etc. It should include what will no longer be done, and what will be redesigned.
Change strategies are important to respond to shifting market conditions. Your ability to recognize that “business as usual” can be a subtle, insidious factor that robs your business of the creativity and energy it needs can be the difference in successfully implementing your change strategy.
Franta is the owner of Pamela Franta Consulting. She is a licensed psychologist, specializing in executive coaching/consulting with individuals and groups at work. She can be reached at [email protected].