Posted by Nathalia Lopes on 14 Junho, 2021
When we are the ones to propose change and we perceive in people a resistance to the new, a natural reaction is to believe that others have not yet understood our ideas and that we need to give more information and arguments to convince them to change. And for that, we make more introductions, send more emails, and call more meetings to communicate people.
"These measures are important, but not enough to overcome the resistance. Sustaining a movement of change based only on information and unilateral communication is part of a culture that prioritizes rationality. A misguided belief that people’s engagement is a natural consequence of understanding the logic, objective factors, and cost-benefit ratio of a new solution being proposed."
But that’s not it! Neuroscience, emotional intelligence and so many other scientific fields are there to prove that our rationality is limited and that our decision is influenced by many other factors, conscious or not.
When talking about change, we need to consider a more comprehensive perspective of the human being: thinking, feeling and acting - dimensions that, day by day, merge to shape people’s response to the invitation to change. Any resistance to change can originate in any of these dimensions. And you need to understand what is preventing people from changing to take appropriate action.
THINK
When it comes to THINKING, we are talking about ideas, beliefs and convictions about what is the best way to do things and what is the logic behind a reality or action. Change can generate doubt and uncertainty: people do not understand exactly the change, why it is necessary and how things will work. So they show resistance.
In this scenario, the company and its leaders need to create clarity, share information and communicate people in different ways, in different contexts, considering the variety of profiles, interests and expectations.
FEEL
Resistance can also come from FEELING when changes somehow undermine the values, self-esteem, status and roles that one plays in the group. When this occurs, the reaction can be one of fear and insecurity: people fear change and its consequences. And if that’s the scenario, the solution is not just to give more information.
In most cases, people have understood exactly what is going to happen, so they are scared or insecure and resist the new model. Leaders need to be able to recognize the group’s emotions, help them cope with the losses and breakdowns typical of change, creating an environment of psychological security.
When resistance to change comes from feeling, it is important to be prepared to welcome, support, and engage people in the process. For this, it is advisable to understand the personal transition process and the emotional response to the changes.
ACT
Finally, there are situations where people understand and agree with the change, show openness to the new, but do not feel empowered to change. They do not yet have the necessary skills or have not developed habits, routines and processes to help them cope with the new situation. People want to ACT, but they do not know how or do not have sufficient resources for it.
In addition to motivation, people need to be able to change. This involves not only individual knowledge and capabilities, but also peer support and the existence of processes, tools and systems that stimulate and support change.
If resistance to change comes from acting, the leadership’s response should be to empower, set an example, do it together, creating an environment of tolerance to error and encouragement to learning. Actions that help people overcome hesitation, experience the new and deal positively with the natural challenges of the adaptation process.
A good management of change processes requires this systemic and integrated vision of the human being and the way he acts and reacts in transformation scenarios.